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.
On Monday, Lao media reported that they had found the body of a woman, named Pany Her. Rescuers are still looking for her two children.
'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 - and popular with visitors to the country.
There were 118 tourists and 29 locals, including four crew, onboard when it struck underwater rocks, according to an official report.
Within minutes, the ferry began to sink.
According to Mr Levelu, the crew was totally unprepared for the emergency. There was a lot of confusion... it happened really, really fast, he said.
What was puzzling is that there were very few life jackets, around 15 maximum. It was really bad.
As the boat continued to capsize, passengers shouted to a passing boat for help, but it did not stop. However, another boat eventually came and managed to help some passengers reach safety.
Tragically, the chaos left many missing, including a mother and her children who were initially spotted by Mr Levelu.
Rescue efforts continue, with the situation highlighting the urgent need for improved safety measures on tourist vessels in Laos.
This incident is not an isolated case; similar tragedies have occurred in the past, including a September 2023 incident that resulted in three deaths.
