Following a canoe capsizing accident that killed 15 people in Phu Quoc, An Giang Province Police have intensified inspections of inland waterway transport, ordering the temporary suspension of 82 piers and 74 watercraft that fail to satisfy regulatory requirements.
At a regular press briefing on November 11, Senior Colonel Nguyen Hai Duong, Chief of Staff of the Department of Public Security of An Giang Province, stated that the unit has conducted a comprehensive review of state management and operational procedures for waterway transport and tourism following the Phu Quoc canoe accident.
Accordingly, waterway traffic police, in coordination with relevant functional units, carried out 70 inspection operations targeting 12 passenger piers, 25 passenger transport vessels, and 50 tourism vessels. Through these inspections, authorities identified and handled 17 violation cases, issuing total fines of VND32.5 million (US$1,266).
Notably, functional forces required the suspension and temporary halt of operations for 82 piers and 74 watercraft that did not fully meet operating conditions as required by regulations.
An Giang Province Police also directed traffic police and police forces in communes, wards, and special zones to step up patrols and control measures across key tourism areas.
As reported by Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper, at around 1:00 p.m. on July 11, a canoe operated by Minh Huy Phu Quoc Tourism Co., Ltd. and captained by Nguyen Hong Hai—carrying 32 Indian tourists, three crew members, and one Vietnamese tour guide—capsized about 400 meters offshore while en route from Hon May Rut Ngoai Island to An Thoi Port. The accident resulted in 15 deaths, while 21 people were rescued.
On July 12, the Investigation Police Agency under An Giang Province Police initiated criminal proceedings into the case, detaining and subsequently arresting captain Nguyen Hong Hai, born in 1969, residing in Son Kien Commune, An Giang Province, to investigate legal violations related to the accident.
