On May 17, responding to the death of a tourist falling into the bay, Mr. Pham Dinh Huynh, deputy head of the Ha Long Bay Management Department, said that the Ha Long City Police were still investigating, with no final conclusion. However, through the initial report, the Management Board recorded the process of visiting the bay and the group of guests drinking alcohol. When nearing the port, tourists stand at the bow of the ship and fall into the sea. "This is the captain's responsibility for letting guests stand at the bow of the ship, against the regulations," Huynh said.
Cruise ship to visit Ha Long Bay. Photo: Minh Cuong
Mr. Huynh explained, on a cruise ship, the captain has the highest authority. Security, safety, service on board are all the responsibility of the captain. In unsafe conditions, the captain is allowed to stop the ship, notify the guests and notify the authorities.
Before the ship leaves the port and upon entering the port, visitors must settle into the hold. When the ship has left the port and is on its way, visitors can go up to the deck to admire and take pictures, but not to stand or sit on the railing and bow of the ship. During the journey, guests do not have to wear life jackets, except for the means of transport from the ship overnight.
"If detecting tourists standing, sitting at the bow, ship's railing or allowing other vehicles to stick around to sell goods, the Ha Long Bay Management Board will request the waterway police to impose administrative sanctions on the captain." Mr. Huynh said.
According to Mr. Huynh, tourists receive safety information through many channels. Firstly, the wharf has a table of rules. Second, the captain and crew guide guests to get off the ship, when entering and leaving the wharf, sit still in the chair, when the captain's command is in a bad situation, they know where to get a life jacket. If a guest is found to have inappropriate behavior, the captain or crew member will give a warning.
However, the Deputy Head of Ha Long Bay Management Board admitted that the current form of information dissemination is not effective. "I am working on a document to propose specific regulations on what tourists can and cannot do, and correct the team of captains and crew members," Huynh said.
reporter VnExpress, these days at Ha Long international passenger port, many tourists board the boat to visit the bay. There are two rules boards located next to the boarding area, and there are no other forms of propaganda. Rules on these boards are also not specified, most tourists do not read these signs.
Similarly, Tuan Chau International Passenger Port also only has rules boards placed next to the boarding ticketing area. "The sign does not specify what tourists can and can't do when visiting the bay. If there is an electronic board at the station, playing a loudspeaker, it will attract attention and people will read it while waiting. A sign that is placed right at the ticket counter is not convenient to stand and read," said Mr. Nam from Hanoi.
Before noon on May 14, the cruise ship Long Giang 68 led by Mr. Tran Duy Cuong, 39 years old, carried 15 tourists to visit Ha Long Bay along route 2. When returning, prepare to dock at the passenger port. Ha Long International Airport at 5pm, tourist Nguyen Ngoc Phat (43 years old, from Can Tho) stood at the bow of the ship and fell into the sea.
Everyone on board threw lifebuoys, but Phat was lost in the water. At 9pm the same day, his body was found next to it.
The tourist accident area is about 30m from Ha Long international passenger port, about 5m deep in water. From the bow of the ship down to the water surface is nearly 2 m high. On the day of the accident, the water was not flowing fast.
