Ha Long Bay Tragedy: 28 Confirmed Dead in Boat Capsizing

Tragedy struck on Saturday when a tourist boat carrying families capsized in Vietnam’s renowned Ha Long Bay, claiming the lives of at least 28 individuals, with several others still unaccounted for, according to reports from state media.

At the time of the incident, the vessel was transporting 48 passengers and five crew members when it overturned in the UNESCO World Heritage site due to sudden, severe rainfall, as reported by the Dan Tri news outlet.

The majority of those aboard were families visiting from Hanoi, the capital, including over 20 children among the passengers, as per a news report from VNExpress.

“Border guards managed to rescue 12 individuals and have located 18 bodies,” the report stated.

Rescue operations are expected to continue into the night to locate those still missing.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and urged the ministries of defense and public security to initiate an immediate search and rescue operation.

Authorities committed to “investigate and ascertain the cause of the incident and take strict action against any violations,” as mentioned in a government statement.

Tran Trong Hung, a local resident in the Ha Long Bay area, recounted to AFP, “The sky turned dark around 2 PM.” He explained that there were “hailstones the size of grapes accompanied by heavy rain, storms, and lightning.”

Torrential rain also affected northern regions such as Hanoi, Thai Nguyen, and Bac Ninh provinces on the same day.

In Hanoi, strong winds toppled several trees.

This storm followed three days of extreme heat, with temperatures reaching as high as 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit in certain areas.

Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, mentioned in VNExpress that the thunderstorms in northern Vietnam were not influenced by Tropical Storm Wipha in the South China Sea.

Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most sought-after tourist destinations, drawing millions of visitors annually to its stunning blue-green waters and limestone islands crowned with rainforests.

Last year, 30 boats sank in coastal Quang Ninh province, specifically in boat lock areas along Ha Long Bay, after Typhoon Yagi produced intense winds and waves.

Earlier this month, a ferry sank near Bali, a popular Indonesian tourist spot, resulting in at least 18 fatalities.