A two-storey cruise ship of Din Ky resort in the southern province of Binh Duong was overturned around 7:00pm (local time) on May 20 on Saigon River, causing 20 out of 50 guests of a birthday party aboard have got missing, including at least 4 foreigners.
Rescue force
One of the guests on the capsized ship coded BD 0913, who fell off the deck and swam to river bank. The ship weighed anchor and steamed off on the river soon before 7:00pm.
Going for 100 metres, a heavy rain began pouring down and strong whirlwind blew up and overturned the ship.
Many guests fell off the deck and few of them could swim towards the river bank. Minutes before, a smaller boat was sent to the ship and received some guests to head ashore.
At 9:25pm, tens of ambulances and over 100 policemen were present at the site for rescue.
The whole area was blocked. Reporters and victim’s relatives were not allowed to enter the area.
At 10:00pm, the ship was sunk deep at the bottom of the river and completely disappeared. The location of the ship has yet been positioned.
Till 10:25pm (or 3 hours and a half since the ship was capsized), not a victim has been saved, according to an emergency aid staff on duty at the scene.
The ship\'s captain was identified as Le Van Duc from Ben Tre province. He escaped the ship and safely swam ashore, and is now kept by local police.
On hearing the news, a group of Chinese tourists have rushed to the scene and reported they have 4 relatives going on the ship.
Vu Van Hung, a survivor, said all guests aboard the ship were attending a birthday party of the 3-year-old baby named Quach Hong Dat, son of Quach Luong Tai.
The missing people include a family of five, Hung said.
Photo captured from the accident scene:
Rescue force from Ho Chi Minh City
Locating missing ship
Diver joined in
Spectators
A Dinh Ky\'s cruise ship
Blockaded scene
Ambulance is ready
