Aviation authority bans all sightseeing flights in Vietnam
The first helicopter tour was launched three years ago in Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh.
All sightseeing flights are temporarily banned until further notice, according to Dinh Viet Thang, director of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam.
| The Bell-505 helicopter model lands in Quang Ninh Province before the accident. Photo: Minh Huy coded |
The move came after a helicopter crashed on April 5, killing five people, including a pilot and four Vietnamese passengers, in the waters of Hai Phong's Cat Ba District.
The Vietnam Helicopter Company, an owner of the crashed vehicle, ordered a ban on all sightseeing flights in the Ha Long Bay area following the incident.
Other helicopter tours in Danang, Dien Bien, Mai Chau (Hoa Binh Province), Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai) and Con Dao Island (Ba Ria - Vung Tau) have also been suspended pending an official announcement.
The Vietnam Helicopter Company is under the direct administration of the Ministry of National Defense. It provides sightseeing flights over Ha Long Bay, Danang, and Vung Tau throughout the year, and in Yen Bai, Hoa Binh and Dien Bien provinces on a seasonal basis.
Vietnam's first helicopter sightseeing trip took off from Ha Long Bay in 2020. Tourists now have this as a choice in addition to classic tours and yacht travel.
They will be able to see Ha Long Bay from a height of 150 to 200 meters. The flight lasts 10 to 30 minutes and sets off from Tuan Chau Island in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province.
The Bell-505 model helicopter used for sightseeing trips was manufactured and imported from the US in 2019. The helicopter can accommodate a maximum of four people. It is frequently used in well-known destinations around the globe, including Rio de Janeiro, the Victoria Fall (the natural border between Zambia and Zimbabwe), the Grand Canyon, and New York City.
According to a number of local helicopter transportation companies, every client is eligible for an insurance payout of up to US$30 million for each chopper-related incident.
The name of the insurance company insuring Vietnam Helicopter Company's guests at Ha Long Bay is unknown. Still, in 2021, PetroVietnam Insurance Corporation (PVI) paid $3.5 million to cover the cost of repairing an EC-130T2 helicopter belonging to Southern Helicopter Company's Flight Training Center, which was part of the Vietnam Helicopter Company.
PVI has been the main insurer for Vietnam Helicopter Company since 2009, providing packages that cover helicopter repair, civil liability for all passengers, and legal liability for all cabin crew.
PVI is the main insurance partner for national carrier Vietnam Airlines and low-cost carriers Jetstar Pacific and Vietjet Air.
