Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged Quang Ninh Province’s authorities to quickly inspect tourist boats in Ha Long and Bai Tu Long bays.
The request was made following the recent fire in a tourist boat in Ha Long transporting 37 passengers. Three Taiwanese passengers were hurt .
The boat carrying 37 passengers catches fire in Ha Long Bay reecently
The move is aimed to tighten control over the management on tourist boats. Quang Ninh Province is required to report the inspection results to the prime minister.
Quang Ninh Province’s Police Department is also inspecting the fire prevention and control systems of more than 500 tourist boats in Ha Long and Bai Tu Long bays. Any boat which fails to meet the prevention and control fire will have to stop operations. The ten-day check will be completed on May 30.
The province has also planned to reduce the number of wooden tourist boats and then gradually replace them with steel-made alternatives.
Over the past seven years 23 tourism boat accidents have occurred in Ha Long Bay, with 11 vessels sunk and 12 boat fires killing dozens of passengers, mostly foreigners.
