Boat accident kills 19 children in Vietnam

The body of a 14 year old boy, Ngan Quoc Hung, was the only one found by rescue workers after the accident, but there was no doubt the others were killed, officials said.

"Out of about 30 children on board, we are now sure that 19 were killed after the wooden boat capsized on Lam river Saturday morning," said Dang Duc Thang, an official of Lang Khe commune of Nghe An province, more than 300km south of Hanoi.

The children, aged between 11 and 14, crossed the river to school everyday on the same 12-horse power, eight-meter-long boat.

Those killed included 15 girls and 4 boys. Others managed to swim onshore or were saved by the driver, the only adult onboard.

"The driver of the boat survived the accident and is now under custody for investigation together with his father, who owns the boat," Thang told AFP by telephone.