Mystery blast in Halong Bay base
Halong Bay is not quite as relaxing as it used to be for
Vietnamese navy personnel lucky enough to get a few
hours of R&R. In an incident that went unreported in
local state-controlled media, a mysterious explosion
occurred in a naval recreational hall near Halong Bay in
Bai Chay district on September 18, according to
diplomats and Vietnamese defence personnel.
No
casualties have been cited, but the night-time blast is
said to have damaged the building and shattered the
windows of a parked car normally assigned to
Vietnam's navy chief, Adm. Do Xuan Cong. According
to one source, the explosion was traced to a large gas
canister. Vietnam's Ministry of Defence did not reply to
a REVIEW request for more information on the
incident.
The Far Eastern Economic Review - October 17, 2002.
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