The Signature QN-7269, a wooden-hulled boat carrying 28 foreign tourists and two Vietnamese passengers along with 11 crew members, caught fire at approximately 5 p.m. on Feb. 27 as it approached Co Cave. Footage circulating on social media showed the vessel engulfed in flames on the water.
The captain and crew activated emergency procedures and evacuated all 41 people on board. No casualties were reported and all passengers were in stable health, according to provincial authorities.
The tourists included nationals of France, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Portugal, the U.K. and the U.S. Several lost their passports and travel documents in the fire.
Quang Ninh Province coordinated with embassies and the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security to issue emergency replacement documents.
The boat’s operator, Ha Long Wonders International Tourism Joint Stock Company, provided initial support of VND5 million (US$191) per person along with essential personal items and committed to covering all medical costs for affected passengers.
Deputy PM Chinh on March 2 ordered the province to inspect safety and technical conditions across the entire cruise fleet operating on Ha Long Bay. Vessels that fail to meet standards must be immediately suspended, with results reported to the prime minister by March 3.
Chinh also directed authorities to urgently investigate the cause of the fire and strictly handle any organizations or individuals found in violation of fire safety and waterway traffic regulations.
He separately assigned the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to lead a broader review of safety in tourism activities nationwide, with a focus on waterway tourism. The ministry must propose measures to strengthen oversight and raise awareness among businesses and tourists, with a report due to the prime minister before March 10.
The Signature QN-7269 is a 48-seat wooden boat. The fire has renewed scrutiny of Ha Long Bay’s aging wooden fleet. Quang Ninh Province maintains 508 cruise ships on the bay, many of them wooden-hulled, and has set a target of replacing all wooden vessels with steel or equivalent-material boats by 2030.
The bay, one of Vietnam’s most popular tourist destinations, attracted 74,428 visitors over the recent Lunar New Year holiday, a 124% increase from the same period last year. The Ha Long Bay-Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board said on Feb. 28 that tourism activities on the bay, including overnight cruises and sightseeing, were continuing as normal.
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