Four Chinese tourists injured in a ship collision in Vietnam on Friday morning have been sent back to China for treatment, local sources said on Saturday.

 

"Our ambulance took back the injured tourists this afternoon. They are now in stable condition," said Tan Juhua, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Guangxi' Fangchenggang City, which administers Dongxing City, told Xinhua on Saturday.

 

The Vietnam side has offered a preliminary compensation plan. The badly injured will get 50,000 yuan (US$6,452) and the slightly injured will get 30,000 yuan (US$3,871), said Tan.

 

"They're supposed to get the compensation soon," said Tan.

 

Compensation for the dead, still in Vietnam, is in negotiation, Tan said.

 

The collision happened near Mong Cai town of Quang Ninh Province Friday morning when a hydrofoil, which had set out from the province's Ha Long City with 30 people on board, including five crew members, hit a stationary cargo ship in conditions of poor visibility.

 

Two Chinese tourists and one tourist from the Republic of Korea were killed in the accident. Eighteen others were injured, including nine severely.

 

Dongxing City and Mong Cai town are separated by a river.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 11, 2007)