The service was attended by Most Venerable Thich Quang Tung, Vice Chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; Most Venerable Thich Thanh Quyet, Vice Chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and Head of the Executive Board of the Buddhist Sangha of Quang Ninh province; Mr. Vu Dai Thang, Secretary of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee; representatives of various departments and agencies; relatives of the victims; and Buddhist monks, nuns, and followers.

The memorial service, which began early in the morning and lasted until 9 PM, included rituals such as the opening ceremony, the summoning of the River God, the welcoming of the master, the invitation of the souls of the deceased, the great Buddhist prayer ceremony, the absolution ceremony, the karmic release ceremony, and the floating lantern ceremony. The purpose was to bid farewell to and commemorate the deceased, and to share the loss with the families of those who perished in the Vinh Xanh boat capsizing.

Memorial service for the 39 victims of the Vinh Xanh boat accident, morning of 28/7. Photo: Xuan Hoa

The Vinh Xanh 58, carrying 49 people (46 passengers and three crew members), capsized in Ha Long Bay at 1:30 PM on 19/7 due to a sudden storm. 39 people died, and 10 were rescued. This is the deadliest boat accident in Vietnam in the past 20 years.

The People's Committee of Quang Ninh province (UBND) stated that they will continue to review and tighten waterway traffic safety management. This includes focusing on inspecting and monitoring the technical condition of vessels, the qualifications of crew members, search and rescue operations, and compliance with regulations on waterway tourism transportation.

In addition, the province will promote the application of technology in managing vessels, travel routes, weather conditions, and safety warnings to improve accident prevention and emergency response.

Overview of the Vinh Xanh 58 capsizing on the afternoon of 19/7.

Le Tan