Five children in the northern province of Bac Giang died in a local river on July 4.
Local authorities in Hiep Hoa District told DTiNews that the accident occurred at 4pm when the five children, all 12 years old, drowned when taking a swim while tending buffalo near a local river.
Rescuers were unable to arrive on time and the bodies of the five students were recovered later in the afternoon.
Many children continue to drown in Vietnam, especially during summer holiday.
On April 15, nine 12 year-old pupils drowned while swimming in the Tra Khuc River in the central province of Quang Ngai. While on May 4, four girls aged 13 and 14 drowned while bathing on a beach in Van Ninh District, Khanh Hoa Province.
Three pupils drowned at a beach in Hai Hau District, Nam Dinh Province on May 10.
Official figures show that more than 6,000 children drown every year in Vietnam, and the number has actually increased in recent years.
According to the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the number of children drowning in Vietnam is 10 times higher than in other developing countries.
While the country has 3,260 kilometres of coast and innumerable rivers and canals, the government has long been criticised for failing to get schools to include swimming as part of the standard curriculum.
