Sand barge in Ben Tre sinks, captain dies

This afternoon (June 1), the leader of the People’s Committee of Tam Hiep commune, Binh Dai district, Ben Tre province said that he had just discovered and recovered a victim’s body in the sinking of a sand barge on the Tien River. The work of salvaging the barge from the bottom of the river is being organized urgently.

At 13:30 on May 30, Mr. Nguyen Minh Thien (born in 1974, living in Tan Thuan B hamlet, Binh Duc commune, Chau Thanh district, Tien Giang province) was the captain along with the crew member, Mr. Nguyen Van Phung. born in 1968, living in Tan Dong hamlet, Tan Hoa Thanh commune, Tan Phuoc district, Tien Giang province) operating a sand barge carrying a control plate: TG-191.79 with a tonnage of nearly 1,000 tons, circulating on the Tien River in the direction of dunes. Tam Hiep (Binh Dai district, Ben Tre) go to Rach Mieu bridge.

When this vehicle reached the water of Hamlet 1, Tam Hiep commune, Binh Dai district, Ben Tre province, it encountered big waves and heavy rain, so the barge was destroyed and sank. When the barge sank, Mr. Nguyen Van Phung was fortunate to be rescued by the people on the boat in time. Only broken ribs and broken jaw were taken to Tien Giang General Hospital for treatment.

Nguyen Minh Thien, when he entered the cabin to get his luggage, got stuck in it and went missing. After 2 days of searching efforts, at noon on June 1, functional forces and people found Mr. Thien’s body drifting nearby. After the autopsy, the authorities handed over the body to the family for post-mortem. The barge is being salvaged.

The case is being investigated and clarified by the authorities.