An official from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has claimed the ministry will announce the official cause of the mass fish deaths when the investigation is finally finished, denying that they are burying the news.

Deputy Minister of Nature Resources and Environment Nguyen Linh Ngoc at the press confference

The statement was made by Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Linh Ngoc at a press conference in Hanoi on May 25 on the upcoming National Sea and Islands Week which will be held on June 1-8.

At the press conference, reporters raised a question that why it was taking so long to report on the mass fish deaths. 

The deputy minister replied to the question, saying that "Many Vietnamese agencies as well as both local and foreign scientists are working on the investigation so that we can announce the cause to the public as early as possible. We really need sympathy from reporters and people."

"We are assigned by the government to provide information on the mass fish deaths and we will provide what we have as every conclusion must be based on scientific evidence. We are not trying to hide the cause of the case," Ngoc suggested.

Deputy Director of General Department of Environment Hoang Van Thuc said that tests on sea water carried out from April 24 until now showed that coastal seawater was safe.

The ministry has instructed the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment to collect dead fish and clean beaches.

On May 14, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac said the authorities had gathered sufficient evidence about the causes for the fish deaths and would announce their findings shortly.

But more than a month has passed since the first dead fish was found and the cause has not yet to be released.

Dtinews