A grand requiem ceremony was held for the victims of the capsized tourist boat in Hạ Long Bay, in Bãi Cháy Ward, Quảng Ninh Province on Monday.—VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG NINH — A grand requiem ceremony was held on Monday in Bãi Cháy Ward, Quảng Ninh Province, to commemorate the 39 victims of the recent maritime accident involving the Vịnh Xanh 58 tourist vessel a week ago.

The ceremony is organised by the Quảng Ninh chapter of the Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha, in collaboration with relevant agencies and the victims' families.

Among those attending the memorial are provincial leaders of Quảng Ninh, representatives from various departments and agencies, local authorities from Bãi Cháy Ward, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha Most Venerable Thích Quảng Tùng, Most Venerable Thích Thanh Quyết, also Vice President of the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha and Head of its Quảng Ninh Chapter, along with nearly 100 senior monks, nuns and representatives of the bereaved families.

The ceremony runs from 5am to 9pm on Monday.

The morning session includes a series of solemn Buddhist rituals, beginning at 5am with the opening rites, the summoning of river spirits, the master procession, invocation of souls, the Great Buddha ritual, soul-cleansing rites, offerings and prayers to guide the departed spirits.

These are followed by the 'Bathing the Spirits' ritual, offerings to the Buddha and a communal meal offering for the deceased.

In the afternoon, ceremonies continue with formal welcoming rites for the monks, a major requiem mass for the victims’ souls, rituals invoking the Three Palaces, ceremonies to relieve grievances and sever karmic ties, and the traditional Mông Sơn rite to offer food equally to all souls, both on land and in water. The event concludes with a lantern floating ceremony and the extinguishing of ritual lights.

The grand requiem is a deeply meaningful spiritual and cultural act, not only to honour the 39 victims of the tragic accident on July 19 but also to remember all those who have lost their lives in Hạ Long Bay over the years.

The event offers prayers for their peaceful passing and serves as a solemn reminder of the immense losses that natural disasters can inflict upon families, communities and society at large.

The ceremony is also a profound expression of compassion and solidarity with the victims’ families.

It reflects the humanitarian spirit and helps strengthen public trust in local authorities in their efforts to handle emergencies and ensure the safety of tourists.

On the afternoon of July 19, a tragic maritime accident occurred in Hạ Long Bay, claiming 39 lives.

In the immediate aftermath, the province mobilised all available resources to conduct search and rescue operations, despite adverse weather conditions.

Authorities promptly took command of the situation, assisted the victims’ families with funeral arrangements, transported the bodies and provided support to help them through their grief.

In the weeks and months to come, the province will continue to tighten the management of waterway traffic safety, especially in Hạ Long Bay and other key tourist destinations.

Authorities will intensify inspections of vessel conditions, crew qualifications, emergency preparedness and compliance with passenger transport regulations.

The province also aims to enhance the application of technology in managing vessels, routes, weather conditions and safety alerts, all with a view to improving accident prevention and emergency response.

The efforts are part of a broader push to foster a civilised, safe and welcoming tourism environment in the province.— VNS