Rescue forces and residents bring the victims’ bodies ashore in Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: T. Thanh / Tuoi Tre
The Vietnam People’s Navy confirmed that rescue divers from Brigade 126 had located the final missing victim at 5:20 pm.
The discovery concluded an intensive operation that began after a collision between the passenger boat and a stone-laden ferry on Thac Ba Lake on Saturday night.
The accident claimed the lives of six people, including Hoang Thi T., 60, Hoang Thi Hoa, 56, Trieu Thi H., 48, Hoang Van T., 42, Hoang Duc M., 11, and Hoang Thi Thanh T., 14.
All were residents of Ngoi Song Hamlet in Cam Nhan Commune, Lao Cai Province.
An official from Cam Nhan Commune told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that four bodies had been found close to each other near the site where the passenger boat sank.
The bodies were brought ashore and handed over to their families.
The sinking occurred at around 7:15 pm on Thac Ba Lake in Bao Ai Commune.
The ferry transporting rocks was traveling from Luc Yen Commune to Huong Ly Port when it struck the passenger boat.
The ferry was operated by a 42-year-old man identified as Nguyen Van T., a resident of Cam Nhan Commune.
The passenger boat, steered by Trieu Duc N., also from Cam Nhan Commune, was en route from Mong Son to Phuc Ninh at the time of the collision.
There were 22 passengers aboard the boat, along with the operator, bringing the total number of people on board to 23.
The collision sent the boat to a depth of over 10 meters, with six people reported missing.
After the crash, the province quickly mobilized 500 personnel, including rescue divers, and dozens of boats, to search for the victims.
Preliminary inspections found that both captains held valid inland waterway navigation licenses.
Authorities reported that neither showed signs of alcohol consumption nor tested positive for drugs.
Rescuers search for the missing victims after a collision between a passenger boat and a stone-laden ferry on Thac Ba Lake in Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam, February 21, 2026. Photo: Supplied
In the aftermath, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued an urgent directive ordering a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident.
The government leader tasked the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Construction, and the Lao Cai administration with reviewing compliance with safety regulations governing inland waterway transport, strengthening inspections, imposing strict penalties for violations, and conveying condolences to the victims’ families.
Local authorities were directed to provide medical care to any injured victims.
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