The Datanla Falls in Da Lat has suspended all its adventure tours following the deaths of three British tourists who, according to reports, climbed down the waterfalls without proper safety equipment.
The three victims are Christian Sloan, 25 years old; Beth Anderson, 25; and Izzy Squire, 19 who were reported to descend the falls without ropes. They slipped and immediately died after hitting the rocks.
Image by http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35670529
The British tourists supposedly booked a trekking tour but were also able to enter the falls. Under the rules of the said tour, this is not allowed and they should only be limited to the specific tour they chose. The tour guide said he warned the said tourists and told them to leave the falls but they wouldn’t listen. The guide was questioned but not detained, but his company has been temporarily closed while investigation is ongoing.
Other local adventure tour agencies said they have to be strict in sticking to the itinerary because risks are involved and lives are at stake in case of accidents. Lam Dong Province Chief Tourism Inspector Vo Duc Trung admitted that some tour providers take safety and security in their service for granted while some companies actually operate with sub-standard equipment or even without a license.
The sudden death of the tourists has been a terrible surprise and the tour guides themselves need to recover from the tragic accident. An investigation will be conducted on the incident as well as an examination of the equipment.
Da Lat is known for its abundance of waterfalls, lakes and other amazing bodies of water. Locals took advantage of this natural blessing and started offering water-related services and entertainment like rafting, canyoning and ziplining. The business reached its peak about ten years ago and did not experience any mishaps until now.