Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued a telegram directing the remediation of the consequences of a particularly serious waterway traffic accident (TNGT) on Thac Ba Lake, Lao Cai province.
The telegram clearly stated: At about 7:15 pm on February 21, a particularly serious waterway traffic accident occurred at Thac Ba Lake, Bao Ai commune, Lao Cai province due to a stone-carrying ferry with license plate YB-0919H colliding with a passenger ship with license plate YB-0876H; the consequence was the passenger ship sinking, killing 1 person and leaving 5 people missing.
On February 22, forces found 6 bodies of victims in the accident.
Immediately after receiving information about the traffic accident, the Prime Minister directed functional agencies to send condolences to the families of the victims in the accident; and at the same time requested the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Construction, and Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee to direct the settlement and overcoming of consequences, visit, support and encourage the families of the victims in the accident.
To overcome the consequences of the above accident and prevent similar traffic accidents from occurring, the Prime Minister requests:
Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee urgently directed functional agencies and units of the province to urgently mobilize maximum forces, vehicles and necessary equipment to organize search and rescue for missing victims; arrange the best medical conditions to treat injured victims; organize visits and support to encourage families of victims in the accident.
Strengthen patrols, inspections, and strictly handle violations of the law on waterway traffic order and safety; urgently investigate and clarify the causes, and strictly handle according to legal regulations organizations and individuals who violate and cause accidents.
The Ministry of Public Security directed Lao Cai Provincial Police to urgently investigate and verify the causes; pay attention to inspecting violations of business conditions on inland waterways, especially cargo and passenger transport activities on inland waterways, tighten control and strictly handle acts of overloading, exceeding the prescribed number of people, and handle the responsibilities of vehicle owners and transport enterprises when violations occur, not allowing similar incidents to occur.
The Ministry of Construction directed the Lao Cai Provincial Department of Construction and local Departments of Construction to comprehensively inspect the compliance with business regulations and business conditions for inland waterway transport, and strictly handle violations according to legal regulations if detected; especially consider the responsibilities of ship drivers, ship owners, and port management and operation units for the above-mentioned accident.
People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities direct to tighten business management and business conditions for inland waterway transport in the area.
Strengthen inspection of the implementation of regulations on transport business conditions for inland waterway transport business units, strictly handle violations according to the provisions of law, especially violations of not wearing life jackets for passengers on ships and boats.
Assign the Ministry of Construction to monitor and urge ministries, branches, localities, and relevant units to implement this Official Dispatch, and propose reports to the Prime Minister on issues beyond their authority.
