On the afternoon of December 12, 2025, the quiet banks of the Sêrêpôk river in Lâm Đồng province became the scene of a heartbreaking discovery. After more than a week of searching, authorities found the body of L.T.M.T, a grade 11 student from Trần Quang Khải High School, whose disappearance had gripped her community with anxiety and sorrow. The case, which began as a missing person report, quickly became a rallying point for residents, teachers, and even strangers, all united in hope for a miracle that, sadly, never came.
According to Báo Pháp luật TP.HCM, the search for L.T.M.T began on December 1, when she failed to return home after a day that, by all accounts, had been perfectly ordinary. She had attended her regular classes in the morning and extra lessons in the afternoon. When her family could not reach her by phone and she didn’t come home that evening, alarm bells rang. The next day, her motorbike and schoolbag were found abandoned near the Krông Ana river in Đắk Lắk province, some 80 kilometers from her house. The location raised immediate fears for her safety.
As reported by Tuổi Trẻ, her family wasted no time contacting local authorities and mobilizing friends and neighbors to join the search. The news of her disappearance spread quickly on social media, prompting even those who didn’t know her personally to lend a hand. Local residents, aware of the family’s difficult circumstances, pitched in by helping harvest their coffee crop, giving the family precious time and space to focus on the search for their daughter. It was a powerful display of community solidarity in the face of tragedy.
The search was intense and emotionally draining. Every day, L.T.M.T’s father was seen sitting quietly by the riverbank, eyes fixed on the water, clinging to the slimmest thread of hope. “During the entire search, her father was there every day, silently watching the river, hoping for any news of his daughter,” Báo Tiền phong noted, capturing the raw pain and helplessness felt by the family.
Days passed with no sign of the missing student. Then, at 14:30 on December 12, authorities discovered her body on the Sêrêpôk river, about four kilometers downstream from where her belongings had been found. The confirmation brought an end to the uncertainty but opened a new chapter of grief for her loved ones and the wider community. The principal of Trần Quang Khải High School, Lê Chí Khai, told Tuổi Trẻ, “When we received the tragic news, I was utterly shocked. All hope of welcoming T. back to school vanished.”
L.T.M.T was remembered by those who knew her as a gentle, well-behaved student who was liked by teachers and classmates alike. According to school officials, she showed no signs of distress or unusual behavior on the day she disappeared. “That morning, she attended all her classes and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. When we heard she was missing, everyone was in disbelief,” her principal added.
The family’s hardship was compounded by their modest means. As reported by Báo Pháp luật TP.HCM, the community quickly organized support, with some individuals calling for donations to help cover funeral expenses. The collective grief was palpable, with both teachers and students expressing their sorrow and disbelief. The school organized visits to the family home to offer condolences and support, a gesture that reflected the depth of feeling within the school community.
While the search for L.T.M.T was underway, another tragedy was unfolding hundreds of kilometers to the south on the Tiền river in Đồng Tháp province. On the evening of December 11, a traffic accident involving a homemade ca nô and a ferry boat operated by Mr. H.H.V (born 1965) resulted in both vessels overturning and sinking. The two men piloting the ca nô managed to swim to safety, but Mr. H.H.V was swept away by the current and went missing, according to Báo Đồng Tháp.
The search for Mr. H.H.V lasted through the night and into the next day. On the morning of December 13, rescue teams found his body about five kilometers downstream, near Tân Hòa hamlet in Bình Ninh commune, close to Liên Hoa pagoda. Authorities assisted the family in retrieving his body and conducting a post-mortem examination to clarify the circumstances of the accident. The incident was a stark reminder of the dangers that can lurk on Vietnam’s waterways, particularly for those who make their living on the river.
Both tragedies have cast a long shadow over their respective communities. In Đắk Lắk, the loss of L.T.M.T has left her family, friends, and teachers struggling to come to terms with her sudden absence. The outpouring of support—from neighbors harvesting coffee to strangers contributing to funeral costs—shows just how deeply her story resonated. Her father’s daily vigil by the river became a symbol of parental love and hope, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
In Đồng Tháp, the death of Mr. H.H.V, a ferry operator, serves as a somber warning about the risks faced by those who work on the water. The swift response by search and rescue teams, as well as the support offered to his family, highlight the resilience and compassion that often emerge in the aftermath of disaster.
As both families begin the difficult process of mourning, their stories have touched hearts far beyond their hometowns. The search for L.T.M.T and Mr. H.H.V brought out the best in their communities—determination, unity, and generosity—even as the outcomes were not what anyone had hoped for. The memory of these lost lives will linger, a reminder of the fragility of life and the strength of communal bonds in times of crisis.
