Marine rescue forces in HCM City successfully rescued a sinking boat late on Sunday after it was stranded in the waters of Can Gio Beach for 12 hours.

A cruise boat is stranded by a dock in Can Gio Beach in HCM City after a technical malfunction.

The high-speed cruise boat was returning with 42 passengers to District 1 in HCM City from the southernmost Vung Tau City on Sunday morning.

It was some 300m away from the Tac Suat Dock in Can Gio District when it hit an unidentified object underwater, said a representative of Greenlines DP Technology Company Ltd, the boat’s owner.

The captain and crew noticed a technical malfunction in the gearbox. The pipe system was broken, and water started flowing into the cabins.

The boat was able to reach Tac Suat Dock before it started sinking. All passengers (including children) and their baggage were safe. 

Tran Song Hai, director of Greenlines DP, said a thorough safety check was conducted before the boat left Vung Tau City in the morning. “Its engines, hull, shell and sanitary condition all met requirements,” he said.

Investigations are underway to ascertain the cause of the accident. — VNS