Class missing 5 students after fateful afternoon of river bathing

Class 8B, Hien Quan Secondary School, Tam Nong District, Phu Tho Province has 5 empty seats, the class is covered with sadness after 5 students went missing while bathing in the river.

On the morning of November 19, an atmosphere of sadness enveloped class 8B and all teachers and students of Hien Quan Secondary School.

After a fateful afternoon of swimming in the river, four students went missing, one died. This is a great loss for the students' families and the school.

W-student 4.jpg — *The alluvial area was identified as the place where the 5 students had an accident. Photo: Duc Hoang*

Still in shock after the incident, Mr. Dang Thai Son, the school principal, said that these were all good and obedient students. It is expected that at the rally to celebrate Vietnamese Teachers' Day on November 20, 3 out of the 5 students involved in the accident will be commended and rewarded by the school.

According to Mr. Son, immediately after the incident, the school and the authorities checked to determine the identities of the missing students. The school also visited and encouraged each family of the victim and arranged the funeral for one student whose body was found.

W-IMG_1986.JPG.jpg — *Mr. Dang Thai Son, Principal of Hien Quan Secondary School. Photo: Duc Hoang*

Mr. Son added that at the beginning of class this morning, the school gathered all students of 4 grades to encourage and stabilize their spirits. He hoped that the students would try to be good, study well, listen to their teachers and parents, and especially not go to dangerous areas to avoid unfortunate incidents like yesterday.

From the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, class 8B has 30 students and they have just moved into a classroom that still smells of new paint.

W-IMG_1974.JPG.jpg — *The new classroom block put into use at the school, class 8B is located on the 3rd floor of this new building. Photo: Duc Hoang*

This morning, only 24/30 students attended class. Among those absent was Bui Kieu LA, the class monitor of class 8B. Currently, LA is still missing.

Replacing the class monitor, Ngo Thi Phuong Lan, deputy class monitor of class 8B, said the whole class is very sad. Now we just hope for a miracle to happen to the four missing students.

W-student 1.jpg — *Ngo Thi Phuong Lan, deputy head of class 8B. Photo: Duc Hoang*

Having just finished teaching Biology at the end of the morning, teacher Tran Thi Hong Tam said that she and many other teachers at the school had trouble sleeping last night and felt very heartbroken.

"In today's class, many seats were left empty. Everyone in the class was sad, and the learning spirit was much less enthusiastic than in previous classes," said Ms. Tam.

W-student 2.jpg — *Biology class at the end of the morning of class 8B. Photo: Duc Hoang*

Previously, at around 4:30 p.m. yesterday (November 18), 10 students from Hien Quan Secondary School went to the Red River alluvial area, in Zone 1, Hien Quan Commune, Tam Nong District to play. After that, 6 students went down to the river to bathe, but only 1 student was able to swim to shore, the other 5 students were missing.

At 7 p.m. the same day, authorities found the body of a female student. Authorities in Phu Tho province have mobilized many officers and vehicles to search for the four missing students.

Set up a field command post to search for 4 students missing while bathing in the Red River in Phu Tho

Military and police forces of Phu Tho province are searching for four students who went missing while swimming in the Red River in Hien Quan commune, Tam Nong district.