Hidden dangers from 'tank boat' in Ha Long Bay

Uncontrolled activity

Previously, cruise ships on Ha Long Bay used tender boats to transfer tourists from the pier to large ships or from large ships to sightseeing spots. However, in recent years, the number of large cruise ships has increased, many ships cannot directly dock for sightseeing, so travel agencies have put many high-speed boats and catamarans into operation to transfer (increase tip - PV) tourists.

Ẩn họa từ tàu tăng bo hoạt động trên vịnh Hạ Long - Ảnh 1. — Tender and passenger shuttle boats on Ha Long Bay operate without control

According to Thanh Nien reporters on March 30-31, large cruise ships such as Halong Symphony, Ambassador Cruiser, and Grand Pioneer were forced to transfer passengers to smaller ships to continue their journey to visit Ha Long Bay. The worrying thing is that most of the tourists on these ships did not wear life jackets, while the speedboats freely moved on the bay, posing a high risk of safety.

Ẩn họa từ tàu tăng bo hoạt động trên vịnh Hạ Long - Ảnh 2.

Ẩn họa từ tàu tăng bo hoạt động trên vịnh Hạ Long - Ảnh 3.

Ẩn họa từ tàu tăng bo hoạt động trên vịnh Hạ Long - Ảnh 4.

High-speed boats are put into service to transport passengers on Ha Long Bay.

PHOTO: LA NGHI HIEU

At tourist attractions such as Ti Top Island and Sung Sot Cave, a series of large overnight cruise ships cannot dock and have to use a boat. These ships not only cause overload but also move close to the area where tourists are swimming, emitting a strong smell of engine oil, affecting the environment.

Ms. Nguyen Thu Trang (26 years old, a tourist from Hanoi) said: "Once I was swimming at Ti Top beach and saw tourist boats and speedboats going right next to it, it was very dangerous. Not to mention when the boats started, they emitted a strong smell of smoke."

Risk of accidents from "tang bo" boats in Ha Long Bay

In fact, in 2012, Ha Long Bay had a collision between a tender and a tourist boat, causing human casualties. However, until now, the uncontrolled operation of "tang bo" boats continues.

Ẩn họa từ tàu tăng bo hoạt động trên vịnh Hạ Long - Ảnh 5. — The tenders are equipped with life jackets but the operators do not give them to tourists.

According to statistics from the Department of Construction of Quang Ninh province, there are currently 105 registered tenders in Ha Long Bay. These tenders must follow the main ship and perform the task of "increasing tips" for guests at locations licensed by the authorities.

According to the Ha Long Bay Management Board, there are currently about 500 tourist boats, including overnight boats and day tour boats, licensed to operate on the bay.

The representative of Ha Long Bay Management Board also admitted that many businesses arbitrarily put high-speed boats into passenger transit, which is not in accordance with regulations, because the function of high-speed boats is different from tenders. This unit will propose that the People's Committee of Ha Long City and the Department of Construction of Quang Ninh Province review and rearrange transit activities to ensure safety and protect the environment of Ha Long Bay.