Around 9h, with their grandmother attending a village meeting and their mother occupied with a 7-month-old sibling, the two children went to a neighbor's house in Con village, Quy Hop commune, to play. The neighbor's family was also away at a meeting, leaving the property unsupervised.

After 10h, residents discovered the children's bodies floating in the fish pond in the neighbor's garden. The pond measured hundreds of square meters and was more than 1.5 meters deep.

Authorities believe the younger brother may have slipped while playing near the pond. His older sister reportedly attempted a rescue, but both ultimately drowned.

The victims were the children of Luong Thi Mau and Truong Van Xuan, a family facing difficult circumstances. Tragically, three years prior, Mau's eldest son also died from drowning.

Local authorities visited the family to offer condolences and support, providing 10 million VND for funeral arrangements.

Due to their difficult circumstances, relatives fashioned makeshift coffins for the two victims from an old door and planks. *Photo: Hung Le*

Nghe An province, with its extensive network of rivers, lakes, and dams, presents numerous safety hazards. In many rural areas, residents often dig fish ponds in their gardens, yet most lack fences or warning signs. The province records dozens of drowning incidents annually, particularly during the summer months.

Nationally, Vietnam sees nearly 2,000 child drowning deaths each year. Children in rural areas face double the risk of drowning compared to their urban counterparts.

On 19/5, the Prime Minister issued a directive to enhance child drowning prevention and control. It urged the Ministry of Education and Training to finalize swimming programs for students in grades 1 through 12, while also improving drowning prevention knowledge and skills, and coordinating student supervision during summer holidays.

Duc Hung