Human error blamed for Vietnam boat deaths

Police in Vietnam blamed human error today for the sinking of a tour boat that killed a dozen sleeping passengers.

Quang Ninh police spokesman Le Thanh Binh said the boat's captain and the crew member in charge of the engine had been arrested.

Eleven tourists and their Vietnamese guide when the boat sank in Vietnam's famed tourist spot Ha Long Bay on Thursday.

The initial police investigation showed that a valve that allows water to come into the boat to cool the engine was left open while the vessel was anchored for the night.

The engine was turned off, preventing a pump from running to push the water out.

Mr Binh said that by the time the captain and crew woke to find the boat filled with water, it was too late. It sank quickly at around 5am.