The boat, QNa-1152, was transporting tourists from Cu Lao Cham Island to Cua Dai in Hoi An, when the accident happened. There were 39 people onboard, including 36 tourists and three cruise members.
Rescuers had saved 22 and found the bodies of 15 dead victims in the boat accident with two others still missing.
An overnight search was conducted by the Ministry of Public Security’s Traffic Police Department and local water police to find the victims. At least 30 officers joined the search. The boat had been brought to the shore and is being examined.
The two missing passengers are Nguyễn Minh Quang and Nguyễn Mai Anh, both 3 years old, according to reports from local authorities on Sunday.
The rescue process is continuing. The weather in the area has improved and there are no longer big waves that were hindering the search.
The boat sank off Cửa Đại Beach at about 2 pm on Saturday while returning to Cửa Đại Ferry Station from the Chàm Islands.
President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc sent a message of condolences to families of the victims late on Saturday. He asked the National Traffic Committee and the Quảng Nam People’s Committee to put all focus on searching for the victims and taking care of the injured, stressing it was a “highly serious, sudden accident that causes great loss to the people”.
He also asked the authorities to take care of the families of those who died and are missing, and a review of water traffic safety measures to ensure similar accidents don’t happen again, especially during the season of festivities.
Vietnam is seeing an increase in tourism activities after the country recently lifted most of its coronavirus curbs.