The ministry demanded tighter scrutiny of passenger waterway services, especially those linking the mainland to islands, especially routes with high volume of passengers.

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyễn Xuân Sang has signed a dispatch ordering tougher safety measures for inland waterway and maritime passenger transport, with a specific focus on ferry and popular tourist routes serving Lý Sơn, Côn Đảo, Phú Quốc, Cát Bà, and Hạ Long Bay, following the fatal boat accident in the Phú Quốc Special Zone on Saturday.

The Việt Nam Maritime and Waterway Administration, Việt Nam Register, and provincial construction department were instructed to coordinate with the Border Guard, Coast Guard, public security and local authorities to determine the cause of the accident, deal with its aftermath, identify and fix any state management lapses, offer support to victims and their families, and report regularly on the investigation’s progress.

Units were also told, within their mandates, to conduct or oversee full inspections of safety conditions for inland waterway and maritime transport both at the accident site and in other locations with similar operating conditions.

The ministry demanded tighter scrutiny of passenger waterway services, especially those linking the mainland to islands, especially routes with high volume of passengers.

They must also work closely with enforcement agencies to inspect operators’ compliance with inland waterway and maritime safety rules, particularly during severe weather, and quickly tackle any violations or safety gaps uncovered during inspections, among other tasks.

The accident occurred at around 1pm on July 11, about 200m off Hòn Mây Rút in the An Thới waters of the Phú Quốc island (An Giang Province). By 3pm., authorities confirmed that 15 people – all Indian tourists – had died. — VNA/VNS