Vietnamese motorbike taxi driver prosecuted in crash that killed British tourist

The police announced on Thursday that the motorbike taxi driver, identified as Sung Seo Chinh, 42, residing in Thuan Hoa Commune, Tuyen Quang Province, was charged with violating road traffic regulations under Vietnam’s Penal Code.

On March 29, Chinh was transporting British tourist Orla Sabina Wates from the Dong Van Karst Plateau back to the former Ha Giang City when the accident occurred in Hoa Bac Village, Thuan Hoa Commune.

Investigators determined that Chinh failed to pay proper attention to the road and did not maintain a safe distance, causing his motorbike to collide with another motorcycle traveling ahead before colliding with an oncoming truck.

The accident left the British tourist seriously injured. She later died at Viet Duc University Hospital in Hanoi.

Following Wates’ death, her family decided to donate her organs, helping save three critically ill patients.

A 53-year-old man suffering from acute liver failure caused by chronic hepatitis B and cirrhosis received her liver.

Her two kidneys were transplanted into a 35-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman, both of whom had spent years dependent on dialysis while awaiting transplants.

Following the incident, authorities in Tuyen Quang Province moved to tighten oversight of motorcycle-based tourism services along the Ha Giang Loop, a route popular with young travelers.

The provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism instructed tour operators to ensure that only drivers and vehicles meeting road safety requirements are used.

Vehicles serving tourists must undergo regular maintenance and be equipped with helmets and necessary protective gear before departure.

The department also prohibited unlicensed operators from organizing, advertising, or selling tours.

Transport service providers are banned from arbitrarily pooling groups of tourists, arranging unauthorized itineraries, or changing drivers and routes without prior agreement.

In the event of accidents, operators must immediately notify travel companies and relevant authorities for coordinated handling.

Service providers are also required to serve tourists only under lawful contracts or agreements that clearly specify drivers, vehicles, travel routes, rest stops, and responsibilities in handling emergencies.