Warning of safety risks at ferry crossings in Thanh Chuong.

Observations made at the Cung ferry terminal crossing the Lam River, spanning two communes in Cat Van district.Thanh ChuongIn Trung Son commune, Do Luong district, at this time, there was heavy rain upstream, causing the Lam River to rise and flow swiftly, turning the water reddish-brown. However, most passengers on the boat were not wearing life jackets, even though the boat was equipped with them.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam from Cat Van commune, Thanh Chuong district - a passenger crossing the river by ferry - said: "The ferry wasn't carrying too much weight, and the river water was shallow, so I didn't want to wear a life jacket."

The boat owner at Cung Ferry Terminal shared: "This ferry terminal has a high demand for transportation between the two communes, with 35-40 trips back and forth each day. Before boarding, we remind passengers to wear life jackets, but some wear them and some don't."

Observations reveal that the ferry lacks protective railings on both sides, posing a significant danger to motorbikes and passengers in rough seas. The infrastructure at both ferry terminals is makeshift, as these terminals will be dismantled when the Do Cung bridge becomes operational in 2024. There are no regulations or publicly displayed price lists at the terminal.

The landing point of this ferry is only paved with crude wooden planks, which wobble whenever a ferry docks. People getting on or off the ferry by motorbike must have a firm grip on the handlebars, otherwise they could fall into the river at any moment.

Mr. Tran Van Thao, Chairman of the People's Committee of Cat Van commune, said: "The People's Committee of Cat Van commune directs the forces to regularly inspect and remind people at Cung ferry terminal. However, due to the poor awareness of some passengers crossing the river, they wear life jackets when there are inspections, but no one wears them when there are no inspections."

Similarly, the Nguoc ferry terminal across the Lam River, serving the two communes of Ngoc Son and Thanh Chi, faces alarming safety concerns despite having fewer passengers. Upon visiting the terminal, we observed poorly constructed facilities, a dilapidated waiting area, and rusty, overgrown signs obscuring the ferry regulations. Passengers on the ferries crossing the Lam River were almost entirely without life jackets.

A representative from the Economic and Infrastructure Department of Thanh Chuong district added: The entire Thanh Chuong district has four ferry crossings on the Lam River. Recently, the authorities closed the Gia ferry crossing, so now only three remain: the Nguoc ferry crossing in Ngoc Son commune, the Cung ferry crossing in Cat Van commune, and the Phuong ferry crossing in Thanh Yen commune. According to the plan, in 2024, after the Do Cung bridge becomes operational, the authorities will close the Do Cung ferry crossing in Cat Van commune.

In the coming period, Thanh Chuong district will direct relevant agencies and communes to strengthen propaganda efforts to ensure passengers and boat owners strictly adhere to wearing life jackets. They will continue to guide and remind boat owners to promptly address any shortcomings and deficiencies. In addition, functional forces will strictly handle and suspend operations if any ferry terminal violates regulations, aiming to reduce waterway accidents caused by passenger transport activities.