Dozens dead after tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam’s Halong Bay

The vessel carrying 53 radical tipped implicit arsenic Storm Wipha approached the state crossed the South China Sea.

At slightest 27 radical were killed aft a tourer vessel capsized successful stormy upwind successful Vietnam‘s Halong Bay.

The vessel carrying 53 radical tipped implicit astir 2pm section clip (07:00 GMT) connected Saturday arsenic Storm Wipha approached the state crossed the South China Sea. Strong winds, dense rainfall and lightning were reported successful the area.

Rescue teams recovered 11 survivors and recovered 27 bodies, 8 of them children, the state-run Vietnam News Agency reported, citing section authorities.

There has been nary authoritative announcement connected the nationalities of the tourists. Most of those connected committee were families visiting from the superior Hanoi, with much than 20 children among the passengers, the quality outlet VNExpress said.

One of the rescued children, a 10-year-old boy, told state-run VietnamNet: “I took a heavy breath, swam done a gap, dived, past swam up. I adjacent shouted for help, past I was pulled up by a vessel with soldiers.”

Rescue efforts continued into the nighttime to find radical inactive missing.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent his condolences to the families of the deceased.

Authorities volition “investigate and clarify the origin of the incidental and strictly grip violations”, a connection connected the government’s website said.

Halong Bay is 1 of Vietnam’s astir fashionable tourer destinations, with millions of radical visiting its blue-green waters and rainforest-topped limestone islands each year.

Last year, 30 vessels sank astatine vessel fastener areas successful coastal Quang Ninh state on Halong Bay aft Typhoon Yagi brought beardown winds and waves.

Weather linked to Storm Wipha besides knocked down respective trees successful Hanoi, 175km (110 miles) distant from Halong Bay, and disrupted aerial travel.

Noi Bai Airport said 9 arriving flights were diverted to different airports, and 3 departing flights were temporarily grounded connected Saturday.