A two-decked cruise ship capsized on the Saigon River on May 20, with reports saying that 16 passengers remain missing, including four foreigners.
Gateway of Din Ky resort
Rescue teams are continuing their search, but no survivors had been found as of 7.50 am this morning.
The ship, BD 0913, is one of two cruise boats owned by the Dinh Ky Resort located in the southern province of Binh Duong.
One of the rescued passengers said that having travelled for 100 metres from the bank, the boat was hit by a heavy rain. A strong gust capsized the vessel. At the time, all the doors and windows on the boat had been closed. The ship which was carrying dozens of passengers who were enjoying the birthday party of a three year-old boy, Quach Hong Dat, son of Quach Luong Tai, Director of the Binh Duong-based Lan Anh Company.
As the tragedy unfolded, the resort sent rescue staff out to save the passengers. Only half of the passengers managed to make it to the river bank, most of them being the ship’s crew.
By 9.50 pm dozens of ambulances and over 100 policemen, the army and divers were present at the site.
At 10 pm, the ship finally sunk.
The location of the ship has yet been positioned, and no further survivors have been found.
The ship\'s captain was identified as Le Van Duc from Ben Tre Province. He escaped the vessel, and is now helping local police with their enquires.
Nguyen Thi Anh, 28, from the central province of Ha Tinh, who had not been able to join the party said, the vessel had 32 passengers on board, including 23 staff from Lan Anh Company who were guests to the birthday party and nine people of the host family.
On hearing the news, a group of Taiwanese tourists have rushed to the scene, claiming that they had four relatives on board.
By 2 am this morning, only Quach Luong Tai, Hoang Van Dong, Vu Van Hung and two unidentified Chinese passengers had been confirmed safe.
The missing people include Dao Thi Luan, Tran Dong, Tran Thi Thuong, Tran Thi Linh, Tran Thi Tuong, Quach Hong Dat, Quach Lan Anh, Tran Thi Trang and her two-year old son, Quach Ba, Quach Tu, A Trac, A Ly and Anh Trang.
Dantri will continue to provide updates on the tragedy.
Photos:
Cordoned off rescue area
Rescue work
Rescue team preparing their work
Foreign people await news of their relatives
By 7.50 am this morning, no other victims had been found, but rescue efforts have continued
