Police in the northern province of Quang Ninh have prosecuted and detained the captain and chief mechanic of the tour boat that sank in Ha Long Bay on February 17, leaving 12 dead.

Captain Nguyen Van Minh, 22, and chief mechanic Do Van Thang, 27, were prosecuted on the charge of “neglecting responsibility, causing serious damage”, Director of the provincial police force Colonel Vu Chi Thuc told a Vietnam News Agency reporter on February 20.

The cruise boat, Truong Hai 06 QN 5198, which belongs to the Truong Hai Limited Company, was towed to a private shipyard in Ha Long City in early February 20 for further examination to serve the investigations into the accident.

Of the 12 dead victims in the accident, there were two Swedes, two Americans, two Russians, one Briton, one Japanese, one French, one Swiss and one Australian of Vietnamese origin along with one Vietnamese tour guide.

Local authorities on February 19 returned bodies of the deceased to their relatives.

Following the accident, the province set up an inter-sector delegation to examine all 166 cruise boats that are licensed to provide overnight service in the bay. The results of the inspection are expected to be submitted to the provincial People’s Committee on February 24./.