At the Cung ferry crossing the Lam River in Cat Van Commune, Thanh Chuong District and Trung Son Commune, Do Luong District, at this time, there was heavy rain upstream, the Lam River water rose and flowed rapidly, red and muddy, however, most of the passengers on the boat were not wearing life jackets, while all the boats were equipped with life jackets.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam in Cat Van commune, Thanh Chuong district - a passenger said: "The boat is not carrying too much weight, the river water is shallow so I don't want to wear a life jacket."
The owner of the ferry boat carrying passengers at Do Cung ferry station shared: "This ferry station has a high demand for travel from the two communes, carrying 35-40 trips back and forth every day. Before boarding the boat, we also remind passengers to wear life jackets to cross the river, but some wear them, some don't."
According to observations, the ferry does not have protective railings on both sides of the ferry, if the waves are big, motorbikes and people can slip into the river, which is very dangerous. The infrastructure of the ferry terminals on both sides is temporary, because by 2024 when Do Cung bridge is put into operation, this ferry terminal will be removed. At the terminal, there are no rules signs or public price lists.
The boarding and disembarking points of this ferry are paved with only rough wooden planks. Every time the ferry docks, the planks sway. People getting on and off the boat and riding their motorbikes to the dock must have a steady grip on the wheel or they could fall into the river at any moment.
Mr. Tran Van Thao - Chairman of Cat Van Commune People's Committee said: "Cat Van Commune People's Committee directed the forces to regularly check and remind at Cung ferry, however, due to the poor awareness of some passengers crossing the river, when there are inspection forces, they wear life jackets, when there are no inspection forces, no one wears life jackets".
Also in the same situation, Nguoc ferry terminal across Lam river serving the needs of Ngoc Son and Thanh Chi communes, although having fewer passengers, the safety conditions are also alarming. Present at this ferry terminal, we saw that the investment was sketchy, the temporary waiting room was rickety, the internal regulations sign at Nguoc ferry terminal was rusted and hidden by bushes. The ferry trips carrying passengers back and forth on Lam river almost never had passengers wearing life jackets.
The representative of the Thanh Chuong District Economic Infrastructure Department added: Thanh Chuong District has 4 ferry piers across Lam River. Recently, the functional sector closed Gia ferry piers, so now there are only 3 ferry piers left: Nguoc ferry piers in Ngoc Son commune, Cung ferry piers in Cat Van commune, and Phuong ferry piers in Thanh Yen commune. According to the 2024 plan, after Do Cung bridge is put into operation, the functional sector will close Do Cung ferry piers in Cat Van commune.
In the coming time, Thanh Chuong district will direct functional departments and communes to strengthen propaganda work for passengers and boat owners to strictly wear life jackets. Continue to guide and remind boat owners to promptly supplement and overcome shortcomings and problems. In addition, functional forces will strictly handle and suspend operations if any ferry terminal violates regulations, in order to limit waterway traffic accidents caused by passenger transport activities./.
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