VietNamNet Bridge – Hit by big waves, a ship carrying 30 people, including an American couple, was sunk in the Soai Rap River, in Can Gio District, with nine people missing.

The incident occurred at 9pm on August 2. The ship carried 30 people, including workers, an American expert of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Pipe JSC and the foreign expert’s wife from the company’s factory in Tien Giang to Vung Tau.

When passing by the Soai Rap River, in Long Hoa Commune, Can Gio District, HCM City, the ship encountered big waves and sank.

The rescue forces saved 17 people at 1.45am and four others three hours later. Nine people were missing. Victims were brought to the General Hospital of Can Gio District and they are recovered now.

So far, the bodies of seven out of nine missing people have been found.

Soai Rap River is a distributary of the Sai Gon - Dong Nai River system, about 40km in length. The largest segment of the river is about 3 km wide. Currently, the Soai Rap River is being dredged to serve as a passage to the Hiep Phuoc Port to replace the old Saigon port system.

According to the commander of the border guards of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, the sunken ship is one of two vehicles equipped for this unit. On July 9, the ship was brought to the Vietnam - Czech Technology Joint Stock Company for routine maintenance.

On August 2, Mr. Quyet, Director of the Vung Tau Marine in Dong Xuyen Industrial Park - Vung Tau city borrowed Mr. Vu Van Dao, Director of the Vietnam - Czech Company three ships to transport workers of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Pipe JSC from Go Cong Dong - Tien Giang to Vung Tau. The ship departed from Tien Giang at 8pm, controlled by driver Pham Duy Phuc and it was sunken at 9pm.

The ship was designed to carry 18 people but up to 30 people were on board when the accident occurred.

Mai Lan