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The vessel was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members when it capsized in the UNESCO World Heritage site because of sudden heavy rain
Relief personnel gathered around a capsized tourist boat (L) during a search and rescue operation in the Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh province. (AFP photo)
At least 34 people have died and several others, including children, are missing after a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay on Saturday. The accident occurred during a sudden storm that hit the popular UNESCO World Heritage site, state media reported.
The boat was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members when it overturned due to heavy rain and strong winds. Most of those on board were families visiting from Hanoi, with more than 20 children among the passengers, according to VNExpress.
Authorities confirmed that border guards had rescued 11 people and recovered 34 bodies from the water. Search and rescue operations are continuing to locate at least eight people still missing.
“The sky turned dark at around 2 pm, followed by hailstones as big as toes with torrential rain, thunderstorm and lightning,” a local office worker in Ha Long Bay, Tran Trong Hung, told news agency AFP.
A 10-year-old boy, one of the survivors, shared his terrifying experience with state media outlet VietnamNet. “I took a deep breath, swam through a gap, dived, then swam up. I even shouted for help, then I was pulled up by a boat with soldiers,” he said.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and ordered both defence and public security forces to speed up rescue operations. He also called for an investigation into the cause of the incident and promised strict action against any violations.
Heavy rain also battered parts of northern Vietnam, including Hanoi, Thai Nguyen, and Bac Ninh provinces, toppling trees and disrupting daily life. The sudden storm followed several days of extreme heat, with temperatures reaching up to 37°C in some regions.
Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, said the storm was not linked to Tropical Storm Wipha in the South China Sea, confirming that the thunderstorms were local in nature.
Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most visited tourist spots, known for its emerald waters and limestone islands. The region sees millions of visitors every year. In 2023, over 30 vessels sank in the same coastal province during Typhoon Yagi, raising concerns about safety protocols in extreme weather.
(With inputs from AFP)
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