Tragic Storm Incident Claims 38 Lives on Tourist Boat in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay

Rescue teams have been searching for five missing individuals following the tragic capsizing of the tourist boat Wonder Sea in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. The incident occurred Saturday afternoon during a sudden storm, resulting in 38 confirmed fatalities, predominantly among Vietnamese families, including over 20 children.

The vessel had departed Ha Long Bay, located roughly 200 km northeast of Hanoi, carrying 48 passengers and 5 crew. At around 1:30 PM local time, it encountered an unexpected squall with severe hail, torrential rain, and fierce winds, leading to the capsizing and trapping many passengers underwater.

Survivors shared chilling accounts of their escape. A 36-year-old man recounted his desperate attempt to abandon his life vest and dive out of cabin windows to reach safety, while a 10-year-old boy described swimming to an opening and shouting for help before being rescued by a military boat.

By Saturday evening, authorities had located eleven survivors and retrieved 34 bodies. Overnight, three crew members were also recovered from the submerged cabins, raising the death toll to 37. Tragically, an eleventh survivor died in the hospital, resulting in a final count of 38 fatalities.

Rescue operations have faced challenges from poor visibility and worsening weather conditions. Vietnam’s Prime Minister, Pham Minh Chinh, expressed condolences and directed efforts to expedite search operations. He also called for an investigation into the causes of the capsizing, ensuring that any accountability measures are taken.

Local officials indicated that the harsh weather was due to atmospheric instability in northern Vietnam, rather than the influence of Typhoon Wipha, which was expected to impact the northern coast shortly. The disaster, one of the worst maritime tragedies in recent Vietnamese history, echoes a similar incident in 2011 that claimed twelve lives, including foreign tourists.

The sunken vessel has since been recovered, and ongoing operations are focused on finding the remaining missing individuals before Typhoon Wipha potentially complicates rescue efforts.

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