On 24/4, Thien, 20, was provisionally detained by An Giang Provincial Police for investigation of murder.

In connection with the case, Nguyen Tan Duoc, 41, the fishing boat owner, is being investigated for concealing a crime.

Danh Thien (left) and Nguyen Tan Duoc at the investigative agency. Photo: Duong Dong.

According to the investigation, Thien and Nghia, 23, were working on Duoc's fishing boat. On 19/4, while the boat was fishing near Phu Quoc, Thien saw Nghia not working with the others, accused him of shirking work, and verbally abused him.

Nghia explained he had a stomachache, but Thien did not believe him and continued to raise his voice. A short while later, seeing his colleague unresponsive, he angrily stabbed him in the chest with a knife, causing the victim's death.

When the body was brought ashore, Duoc instructed the other workers on the boat to make false statements, staging it as a labor accident, but they could not deceive the investigative agency.

By Ngoc Tai and Duong Dong