HCM City authorities have rewarded a local man and his son for rescuing more than 50 passengers from a burning high-speed transport boat on the Saigon River.

 Ngo Van Hong and Ngo Huynh Long receive certificates

On January 21, the vice head of HCM City People's Committee, Nguyen Huu Tien, visited the headquarters of the Waterway Traffic Police to give the certificates of merit and VND20 million (USD952) to Ngo Van Hong and his son, Ngo Huynh Long.

According to Hong, when he and his wife saw the burning boat, they immediately steered their boat toward the scene. He said, "Many passengers were in a panic on the deck, while others were jumping into the river. It's lucky that the tide was low, but the river is very muddy and many people were stuck. I called my son who was nearby and we helped the passengers."

Hong helped 30 people onto his boat and Long helped 20 before the authorities arrived to ferry the passengers back to Bach Dang Wharf.

Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy and her husband, Tran Van Co, are among the first people who saw the fire. "At about 1pm, we heard a loud bang then we saw smoke rising from the boat. When we got closer, people were jumping out and fire was engulfing the boat," Thuy said. They helped to rescue 15 passengers, however they were not given rewards. Thuy said she did not think about rewards at the time, only helping others.

 Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy

After the incident, the chairman of HCM City People's Committee, Le Hoang Quan, halted operations of all high-speed boats on HCM City-Vung Tau route. The city People's Committee and the local Department of Transport will inspect the boats for technical problems, environmental concerns and fire safety.

On January 20, a Vinalines hydrofoil en route from HCM City to Vung Tau City burst into flames shortly after leaving Bach Dang Wharf. Aboard the boat were 85 foreign and Vietnamese passengers. No loss of life or serious injuries were reported.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.