More than 30 people are dead after a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay on Saturday after running into a storm, officials confirmed. Photo by Vietnam News Agency/EPA-EFE
More than 30 people are dead after a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay on Saturday after running into a storm, officials confirmed.
The 39-foot boat was carrying 48 passengers and five crew when it rolled in stormy weather, local news outlet VNExpress International reported.
Officials have confirmed 34 bodies have been pulled from the water, with 11 people rescued.
Witnesses reported heavy rain, thunderstorms and even hail at the time of the boat’s capsize.
Ha Long Bay is a popular tourist destination located in Vietnam’s northern coastal province of Quang Ninh.
A 10-year-old boy was among those pulled alive from the capsized vessel, VietnamNet reported, adding everyone aboard the boat was Vietnamese.
Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha was overseeing rescue efforts at the scene, after the boat rolled at around 3:30 p.m. IT Saturday.
Over two-dozen boats were responding to the incident, including those driven by other tour operators, local police, the Vietnamese Coast Guard and Vietnam People’s Navy.
“Water levels are currently low, which aids access to the wreck,” told VietnamNet in an interview.
“However, the salvage operation must be calculated carefully to ensure the safety of rescuers.”
