South Korean tourists claim improper compensation after Vietnam jeep accident

Local officials stated that the accident occurred about two weeks ago, but the victims' representatives only recently came to the locality to express concerns about insufficient compensation.

Kim Yonghak, 38, booked a tour through Good Day Venaja Company for himself, his wife, and three others to visit Mui Dinh sand dunes in Ninh Thuan in central Vietnam.

As part of the tour, the group was assigned a jeep operated by Ninh Thuan's rental service Mui Dinh Jeep Tour, to explore the sand dunes and take photos. However, while descending a hill at high speed, the jeep flipped over, injuring all five passengers.

A jeep flips over on Mui Dinh sand dunes in Ninh Thuan Province, central Vietnam. Photo provided by a local resident

Kim’s wife sustained serious facial and spinal injuries.

The victims were taken to a hospital, where surgeries and treatment cost around VND250 million (US$9,800).

Mui Dinh Jeep Tour contributed VND150 million towards these expenses, but Kim alleged that Good Day Venaja Company has yet to offer proper compensation or even discuss the issue with him.

Because Kim’s wife could not sit normally due to her injuries, he had to purchase a sleeper ticket and hire a nurse and a doctor to accompany her on the flight back to home, incurring costs of about VND650 million.

In early March, Kim made multiple attempts to contact the tour company for compensation but received no response.

Nguyen Tan Loc, Chairman of Phuoc Dinh Commune in Ninh Thuan's Thuan Nam District, said the tourists are not seeking additional compensation from Mui Dinh Jeep Tour.

Mui Dinh sand dunes in Ninh Thuan Province in central Vietnam. Photo by VnExpress/Viet Quoc

VnExpress reached out to Good Day Venaja Company, which is based in Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province, for comment but received no response.

The Khanh Hoa Travel Association stated that the tour company had brought the injured tourists to the hospital and covered between VND400 million and VND500 million in medical costs, including contributions from Mui Dinh Jeep Tour.

"The tour company claimed it has fulfilled its responsibility to the injured tourists," a representative of the association said.

Mui Dinh sand dunes, about 125 km south of Nha Trang, are a popular destination for both domestic and international visitors, many of whom explore the area in off-road vehicles for adventure experiences.

Local authorities are currently reviewing businesses that offer jeep rentals for sand dune tours and implementing measures to improve tourism safety in the area.