Boat sinking to Chau Doc 3 pagoda on Dong Nai river on February 5, 2023

The passenger boat traveling from Phuoc Long Pagoda, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City to Dong Nai collided with a container-carrying barge, resulting in one death by drowning on the morning of February 5.

Few people were aware of the dangers of the ferry trip to Chau Doc 3 Pagoda, but there were still moments that caused panic. Early that morning, a passenger boat had just left the mid-river pier, about 60 meters from Long Binh Ward Pagoda, when it collided with a container barge traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Dong Nai. The impact caused the boat to sink, creating shock and panic for those on board. Screams for help were heard in the Thu Duc City area.

According to Mr. Binh (assistant helmsman), the collision violently lifted the bow of the boat before it quickly sank. The boat overturned, and Mr. Binh found a hole on the side of the boat to surface, later rescuing 4-5 people, mostly women and children. Several nearby passenger boats helped rescue 12 victims to the shore. However, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, 32, drowned and could not be saved. The Dong Nai Police rescue team arrived on the scene to assist.

What was supposed to be a peaceful river visit during the full moon turned into a horrifying experience for sisters Nguyen Thi Tinh and Huong. That morning, they hired a boat at the Old Ferry in Long Binh Tan Ward, Bien Hoa, to visit Phuoc Long Pagoda (Chau Doc 3 Pagoda). However, only five minutes after leaving the pier, the boat collided with a slow-moving river vessel. At the time of the accident, the sisters were wearing life jackets and no one was available to help.

The accident occurred along a cargo shipping lane to the ports of Dong Nai and Binh Duong, about 800 meters from the Dong Nai Bridge, next to Ba Xe Islet. Around 12:30 PM, the rescue operation ended. Authorities reported that the victim died due to being trapped inside the boat and unable to escape. The boat involved in the accident had a permit to transport passengers to Phuoc Long Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City; engine capacity 12 horsepower (HP), total load 2.15 tons, carrying 12 people. Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai police are coordinating to investigate the cause.

The Dong Nai River, 586 km long, is the longest inland river in Vietnam and the second largest in the Southern region, after the Mekong River. It flows through Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai provinces and empties into the East Sea in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City. Along the river are major ports such as Cat Lai and Binh Duong. National Route 1 and the railway cross the Dong Nai River in Bien Hoa City.

Phuoc Long Pagoda (also known as Chau Doc 3) was built in 1965, located on Long Binh Islet in the middle of the Dong Nai River, in Long Binh Ward, Thu Duc City, nearly 30 km from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. Visitors must purchase a ticket for the boat ride, which takes about 20 minutes. This is a popular place for locals to make offerings, especially at the beginning of the year.