General Giap rests in peace in hometown

17.03: Senior Party, State leaders filed past the grave the last time after observing a minute’s silence in honour of General Giap.

16.24: Party, State, military leaders and General Giap's family threw first handfuls of soil over the casket, bidding their last farewells to the General.

16.05: The casket was lowered slowly into the grave

15.57: Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, head of the funeral's organising board, declared the start of the burial service. 

15.30: The coffin is being driven to the burial site on Rong cape, Vung Chua.
 
15.00: Vung Chua is crowded with hundreds of thousands of mourners from across the country. Many could not find a small place to stay. 

14.50: The motorcade has moved into Vung Chua. An estimated 500,000 local people lined the road to watch the procession. 

14.26: The motorcade arrived in Ba Don town, and local people poured into the road in large crowds, forcing the organising board to stop the procession for a moment for mourners to bid farewell to the General.

13.50: People continue to converge on Vung Chua where a burial rite for General Vo Nguyen Giap will be held in a couple of hours.

The organising board set up kiosks to provide drinking water and food to mourners. 

Mourners are thronging the road to Vung Chua

13.15: The motorcade is travelling through Hoan Lao town, about 40km away from Vung Chua. Unlike October 12, the weather there is fine with sunshine and light winds. 

Thousands waved their hands, showing their respects to the revered General, when the motorcade moved past. 

12.50: Police are working hard to clear traffic as people are crowding both sides of National Highway No1.  

12.30: Thousands of locals flooded into both sides of National Highway No1 A, saying farewell to the General. Some even climbed to the rooftop of buildings to see the procession. 

12.20: The motorcade carrying General Giap's coffin left Dong Hoi Airport for Vung Chua-Yen island 

12.00: General Giap's coffin was removed from the plane and placed on a gun carriage driven by a hearse.
Among coffin bearers were State President Truong Tan Sang and Politburo member Le Hong Anh. 

11.00: People from Quang Binh and adjacent areas are gathering outside Dong Hoi airport, waiting to bid farewell to General Giap.

War veteran Doan Xuan Ngat, 91, said he and his comrades have been waiting there for more than an hour to see the general’s coffin.  

The plane is scheduled to arrive at Dong Hoi Airport at 12.00am, from which General Giap’s coffin will be driven to Vung Chua-Yen island for the interment. 

10.02: General Giap’s coffin was carried into ART72 craft coded VN103 boarding at Noi Bai International Airport.

9.56: The motorcade is entering the runway, approaching the special ATR72 plane. All flights landing at and taking off from Noi Bai Airport were briefly suspended for the funeral.
9.00: Transport Minister Dinh La Thang is at Noi Bai Airport inspecting a special Vietnam Airlines plane designed to transport General Giap’s coffin to Dong Hoi Airport in Quang Binh.

A Vietnam Airlines representative said the ATR 72 plane is coded VN103 symbolising General Giap’s age (103).

An Airbus A321 plane, to carry Party, State leaders, distinguished guests, and General Giap’s family, is coded VN1911, symbolising the year when the General was born (1911). 

8.55: The convoy is travelling along Thang Long Bridge to Noi Bai Airport

8.40: Traffic police and volunteer students were mobilised to clear heavy traffic along Pham Van Dong Road leading to Noi Bai airport.

People crowded  the road and flyover when the convoy was entering Pham Van Dong road

8.37: Many foreigners are standing along Kim Ma street to bid farewell to General Giap.

8.30: The motorcade is moving along Tran Phu and Son Tay streets. Many people, old and young alike, are standing along both sides of the streets, and some could not hold back their tears.

8.20. The motorcade stopped in front of General Giap’s private house on Hoang Dieu Street.

General Giap’s portrait was taken into the house for a solemn Buddhist ritual. Many mourners clung to each other and wept along the street. 

8:12: The motorcade is travelling across historic Ba Dinh Square in front of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

8:02 People filled both sidewalks of Trang Tien Street, paying their last respects to General Giap.

7:40: The motorcade is moving slowly past Hanoi's major streets before heading for Noi Bai International Airport

7:35: General Giap's coffin was placed on a gun carriage

7:30: Vietnamese leaders are carrying General Giap's coffin to the gun carriage

7.20: Party, State, National Assembly, Government and Vietnam Fatherland Front leaders filing past the casket, paying their last respects to the General.

7:00: Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is delivering a eulogy, highlighting General Giap's revolutionary life, as well as his contributions to the nation.

6.30: Many people are gathering in front of General Giap’s private house on Hoang Dieu street, waiting to farewell the General when the motorcade slowly drives past.

According to plan, at 8.20 his coffin will be driven into a motorcade, travelling past Hanoi’s major streets of Tran Thanh Tong, Le Thanh Tong, August Revolution Square, Trang Tien, Hang Khay, Trang Thi, Dien Bien Phu, Doc Lap, Hoang Van Thu, Hoang Dieu, Tran Phu, Son Tay, Kim Ma, Cau Giay, and Pham Van Dong, and heading for Noi Bai international airport.

At 11.00 a Vietnam Airlines plane – ATR 72 – will transport the coffin to Dong Hoi airport in Quang Binh.

General Giap will rest in peace in Vung Chua (Quang Binh)

His coffin will be again driven into a motorcade to travel along National Highway 1A to his final resting place in Vung Chua-Yen island.

General Vo Nguyen Giap passed away in Hanoi on October 4, 2013 at the age of 103.