The bodies of the pilot and three other victims were found. Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính asked all relevant units to work together and update him on the progress of search and rescue and the investigation into the cause of this tragedy.
On April 5, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang signed a dispatch ordering relevant ministries, agencies, and localities to take measures and mobilise forces and vehicles to conduct search and rescue activities as quickly and effectively as possible.
The dispatch clarified that a Bell-505 helicopter, owned by the Northern Vietnam Helicopter Company under the Vietnam Helicopter Corporation, was involved in an accident at about 5 p.m. on April 5 in the waters of Gia Luan commune, Cat Hai district, Hai Phong City, while carrying four Vietnamese tourists on a sightseeing tour of Ha Long Bay.
In the dispatch, the Ministry of National Defence was tasked with investigating the incident, reviewing all flight control procedures, fixing shortcomings, and ensuring the utmost safety of flights while supporting the pilot's and victims' families.
Latest updates on Ha Long Bay helicopter crash
Currently, the search is still on to find the remaining victims. 15 deep-water divers with specialised equipment searched all night at the scene. The search range has been extended to a radius of over 1km. The helicopter wreckage was found in various locations. Many search options are being implemented by military forces. The use of specialised cameras has been deployed to search the tops of surrounding mountains, where the remaining victim could be found. From videos filmed by two fishermen who witnessed the incident at the scene, there are indications that the helicopter exploded before falling into the water.
Currently, determining the cause of the crash will depend on finding the aircraft's black box and analysing data from the cruise surveillance camera. Foreign objects floating in the sea around the crash site will be verified. Fishermen from Hai Phong and Quang Ninh are also joining the search efforts.
