On Thursday in Laos, a ferry carrying 147 people capsized in the Mekong River near Luang Prabang. The boat was traveling from Huay Xay to the historic city with 118 tourists and 29 locals. It hit underwater rocks and started to sink quickly. Passengers screamed for help and scrambled to save themselves. Only around 15 life jackets were available, which shocked many onboard. Anthonin, a 30-year-old French passenger, said, "The [crew] were just totally unprepared for that. There was a lot of confusion... it happened really, really fast." He also noted, "What was, you know, puzzling and alarming is that there were very few life jackets, around like, 15 life jackets maximum... [it] was really bad." Many passengers jumped into the river or climbed onto a rescue boat. British tourist Bradley Cook said the rescue boat's arrival caused passengers to shift weight and let water flood their ferry faster. Despite the chaos, most passengers were saved. However, three people—a mother named Pany Her and her two children—remain missing. Lao media confirmed finding the mother's body and one child’s nearby. Another passenger, Gabrielius Baranovičius from Lithuania, shared, "We were just joking around," but grew serious as the boat sunk. He helped others onto the rescue boat after filming brief scenes of the disaster. This popular 185-mile Mekong route sees tens of thousands of tourists annually. Mr. Cook called the event "terrifying" and said he plans to claim insurance for lost items. He added, "I'm assuming it's just a freak accident," but was unsure if the accident could have been avoided. Similar tragedy struck in September 2023 when another Mekong boat capsized, killing three people. Authorities continue investigations and rescue efforts at the scene.