Vietnam Boat Collision Kills Six

Six people have been confirmed dead after a passenger boat collided with a vessel hauling stone and capsized on Thac Ba Lake in northern Vietnam, according to state media.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening in Lao Cai Province, a region known for tourism activity. 

Reports indicated that 23 people were on board the passenger boat at the time of the crash, with 17 rescued following the accident.

Authorities recovered six bodies on Sunday, including two children. The victims were said to be among families travelling to visit relatives for Tet, Vietnam’s Lunar New Year.

A local official, Nguyen Hoang Long, was reported to have described the incident as tragic, noting that it happened as passengers were returning home.

The operator of the second vessel was not injured.

Officials have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collision.

 The incident adds to concerns over waterway safety in Vietnam, following a separate boat disaster in Ha Long Bay last year that claimed dozens of lives.