At least 34 people have died and several remain missing after a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay amid severe weather conditions.
The vessel, named Wonder Seas, was carrying 53 people, mostly Vietnamese families from Hanoi, when it encountered a sudden storm on Saturday afternoon.
Rescue officials say the boat capsized after being hit by torrential rain, hail, and strong winds.
The sky reportedly darkened rapidly around 2:00 pm local time, followed by intense lightning and hailstones “as big as toes,” according to an eyewitness.
So far, 11 survivors have been pulled from the water. Among them is a 14-year-old boy who was rescued after being trapped for four hours in an air pocket inside the upturned hull.
A 10-year-old boy was also saved and is in stable condition at Bai Chay Hospital, hospital director Le Ngoc Dung confirmed.
Of the recovered bodies, at least eight were children, according to VNExpress. The search and rescue operations, severely hampered by ongoing heavy rain, are expected to continue through the night as authorities race to find more survivors.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has extended condolences to the victims’ families and ordered a full investigation into the incident.
A government statement emphasized that any violations will be “strictly handled.”
Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its scenic limestone islets, attracted four million tourists in 2019 and remains one of Vietnam’s top travel destinations.
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Author: Bashir Juma
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