Five Taiwanese killed in ship collision in Ha Long Bay
Wednesday, October 03, 2012, 20:46 GMT+7
Five Taiwanese tourists have been killed in a collision between two ships in Ha Long Bay in northern coastal province of Quang Ninh.
>> Boat with 28 French tourists sinks in Ha Long Bay
>> Tragedy still a mystery, negligence suspected
>> Ha Long Boats: white, grey and black again
A passenger boat with the five victims on board was capsized after being collided with Dong Phong 2 tourist boat on Wednesday afternoon, said Nguyen Van Doc, Chairman of the Quang Ninh People's Committee
Among the five victims, all Taiwanese nationals, are four women and one child, said Ha Quang Long, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Ninh Province.
By time of the accident, there were 19 tourists on the passenger boat. The survivals were then hospitalized at Cai Lan Hospital after being rescued.
All the travelers on cruise ships are safe.
The bodies of the victims, after being found by local salvage force, have also been taken to the hospital for necessary procedures. But the identities of the victims have yet been identified.
Past incidents
On May 8, 2011, a tour boat numbered QN 2070 with 28 French nationals, one Vietnamese tour guide and 12 sailors on board sank in Ha Long Bay.
The boat began to sink at around 3:15 pm at a berth situated at the Sung Sot cave, 300 meters away from Ti Top Island where 12 tourists from 9 nations died around three months ago when their tour boat sank.
The boat got cracked after being hit by another boat. After the incident, many boats nearby immediately came to their rescue.
On February 17, 2011, 12 tourists from 9 nations died after a tourist boat sank in the same picturesque bay.
There were 26 people aboard the ship at the time including one captain, four crew members, one tour guide, and 20 foreign tourists.
Local police said the accident was caused by a crack in a wooden board in the engine room, letting sea water in, causing the boat to capsize.
Colonel Vu Chi Thuc, director of Quang Ninh police said 27-year-old Do Van Thang, a crew member in charge of engine, forgot to close the valves that allowed water in to cool the engine on both sides of the boat.
