Tragedy still mystery, Titanic scenario suspected
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The cause of a boat sinking in Ha Long Bay that killed 12 tourists from 9 countries is still a mystery with a Titanic-similar theory put forward. Meanwhile two have been arrested.
Police have arrested two crew members after their boat sank in Ha Long Bay, killing 12 tourists from 9 different nations on February 17.
Captain Nguyen Van Minh, 22 and engine head Do Van Thang, 27 is facing charges of “irresponsibility causing serious consequences”, said Dang Huy Hau, deputy chairman of Quang Ninh provincial People’s Committee. Ha Long Bay is part of Quang Ninh province.
The boat is being salvaged
All the crew members were rescued but 12 tourists including 10 foreigners, one Vietnamese-Australian and one Vietnamese citizen died when they were sleeping at 4.45 am Thursday when their tour boat – the Truong Hai 06 - sank near Ti Top Island of the world famous Ha Long Bay – a UNESCO world heritage - in northern Vietnam.
The boat has been salvaged and investigators found no evidence that the boat sustained a crack in the bottom as previously reported.
Hau said that police have not found any holes or cracked plank in the boat.
Authorities do not exclude the possibility that the captain and engine head deliberately let in sea water to cool the engine but then due to some irresponsibility or misjudgment, allowed more waters in than is safe, capsizing the boat.
It is possible that when one compartment is flooded, water will flow to other compartments (which are open) in a domino effect, eventually sinking the boat in a scenario similar to the Titanic’s fate.
The crewmen could have saved the day if they had intervened soon enough, investigators said.
They also dismissed the theory that the accident was due to heavy winds because there was no strong wind at the time and the boat was docked in a wind-safe area.
On Sunday morning, the boat was transported to a shipbuilding factory in Cai Lan Port to be examined.
Hau said that local authorities have handed over nine bodies of the perished tourists to their respective embassies.
One body of an American tourist will be handed over today.
Hau also said that all cruise activities in the Bay will go on as usual. The local government only banned Truong Hai Company (which owned and operated the sunk boat) from conducting tours.
He also dismissed rumors that overnight cruises have been banned.
Meanwhile, authorities have formed a multi-agency team to inspect all tour boats licensed for overnight cruises in the Bay.
List of perished tourists:
1. Mccormick Stuart (male- born in 1980): UK
2. Pyle Holly Michelle (female- 1985): US
3. Taylor Samantha Kay (female- 1989): US
4. Voropinova Elena (female- 1962): Russian
5. Voropinova Anastasia (female- 1987): Russian
6. Nakahara Jumpei (male- 1990): Japanese
7. Noblecourt Laetitia Francoise Monique (female- 1983): French
8. Bankestad Viola Birgitta (female- 1991): Swede
9. Krok Anna Ellen (female- 1990): Swede
10. Gerber Baniamin Charly (male- 1985): Swiss
11. Đinh Văn Thắng (male- 1983): Vietnamese
12. Lâm Ngọc Châu (male- 1979): Vietnamese-Australian (Australian passport)
The Truong Hai 06 boat which sank has two floors, 10 sleeping rooms, is 27 m long and 6.5 m wide.
The boat was built in 2008 and according to a certificate issued in April 2010, the boat is seaworthy.
