Tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, killing 37
Boat carrying 48 passengers, including 20 children, tipped over during a sudden thunderstorm.
A tourist boat capsized in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay during a sudden thunderstorm, resulting in at least 37 fatalities and leaving five people missing, according to Vietnamese state media.
The vessel, named the Wonder Sea Boat, was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members when it overturned on Saturday afternoon. More than 20 children were among those on board.
Rescue teams located 10 survivors by Saturday evening and had recovered 37 bodies by Sunday morning, the official Vietnam News Agency reported.
Four of the deceased have not yet been identified.
Rescue teams worked through the night and have since brought the salvaged vessel ashore, according to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
Most of the passengers were Vietnamese families from the capital, Hanoi, the news outlet VNExpress reported.
Among the survivors was a 14-year-old boy who was rescued after spending four hours trapped inside the overturned hull.
Another young survivor, a 10-year-old boy, shared his harrowing experience with state-run VietnamNet:
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh extended his condolences to the families of the victims.
A statement on the government’s website said authorities would “investigate and clarify the cause of the incident and strictly handle violations.”
According to Vietnam Law Magazine, the boat capsized during a sudden spell of severe weather that brought torrential rain, lightning, and strong winds across northern Vietnam and the Gulf of Tonkin.
The National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting explained that the extreme conditions were caused by a convergence zone moving through the area. Combined with three consecutive days of intense heat, the atmosphere became highly unstable and prone to violent storms.
The center also warned of continued thunderstorms and heavy rainfall in the region as Storm Wipha approaches.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh extended his condolences to the families of the victims.
A statement on the government’s website said authorities would “investigate and clarify the cause of the incident and strictly handle violations.”
According to Vietnam Law Magazine, the boat capsized during a sudden spell of severe weather that brought torrential rain, lightning, and strong winds across northern Vietnam and the Gulf of Tonkin.
The National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting explained that the extreme conditions were caused by a convergence zone moving through the area. Combined with three consecutive days of intense heat, the atmosphere became highly unstable and prone to violent storms.
The center also warned of continued thunderstorms and heavy rainfall in the region as Storm Wipha approaches.
Ha Long Bay is among Vietnam’s top tourist attractions, drawing millions of visitors each year to its emerald waters and towering limestone islands covered in lush rainforest.
Last year, strong winds and waves from Typhoon Yagi caused 30 vessels to sink at boat lock areas in Quang Ninh province, which borders Ha Long Bay.
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