It was supposed to be just another Thursday in Laos, where Anthonin Levelu's father was born.
Instead, the 30-year-old French citizen found himself among more than 140 people, mostly tourists, on a ferry that capsized in the Mekong River. All but three are thought to have made it to safety.
Videos online show a scene of chaos - people screaming for help, children crying and passengers scrambling to get their belongings.
Mr. Levelu recalls seeing a mother and her two children on board the ferry - but they were nowhere to be seen on the rescue boat.
Rescue operations reported that they had found the body of a woman, named Pany Her, but the search for her two missing children continues.
'Only 15 lifejackets'
The boat was making its way last Thursday from the riverside town of Huay Xay to the historic city of Luang Prabang in northern Laos, a common route along the Mekong popular with visitors.
According to an official report, there were 118 tourists and 29 locals, including four crew members, on board when the ferry struck underwater rocks.
Within minutes, the ferry began to sink.
Mr. Levelu stated, The [crew] were just totally unprepared for that. There was a lot of confusion... it happened really, really fast. He noted a shocking lack of safety gear: only 15 life jackets for everyone on board.
As the boat capsized, passengers shouted for help, but initial responses were inadequate until a larger boat stopped to assist. While it helped many escape, it caused additional panic as people shifted weight on the sinking ferry.
Survivors like Mr. Levelu and British tourist Bradley Cook recalled the harrowing moments of the sinking and their fortunate escape, juxtaposed against tragedy as several passengers remained unaccounted for.
For Cook, the experience was terrifying, leading him to seek insurance for his lost belongings, while the haunting memory of the disaster lingered. Past incidents have raised concerns regarding ferry safety along the Mekong, notably previous sinkings resulting in fatalities.
