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"So Much Loss": Vietnam Shipwreck Victims Recall Tragedy That Killed 35

"So Much Loss": Vietnam Shipwreck Victims Recall Tragedy That Killed 35

NDTV4 days ago
Halong:
The thunderstorm came so suddenly that it overturned the boat within seconds, said two survivors of the shipwreck which killed at least 35 people in Vietnam's top tourist spot of Halong Bay and left another four missing.
"It had been raining for 15 minutes, then there was a thunderstorm ... and a huge wave that all of a sudden capsized the boat," said Nguyen Hong Quan, one of 10 survivors of the accident, which happened early on Saturday afternoon.
"It took only a few seconds," he told Reuters on Monday, recalling one of the worst accidents in recent years to hit the UNESCO-protected archipelago, which consists of thousands of limestone islands about 200 km (125 miles) northeast of Hanoi.
Of the 49 people that Vietnam's government said were on the boat, four are still missing. Weather conditions are expected to worsen in the coming hours with the landfall in northern Vietnam of Typhoon Wipha, which skirted the southern Chinese coast over the weekend causing flash floods and landslides.
Authorities were verifying on Monday whether a body found on an islet in the bay was one of the missing people from the accident, according to local media.
The thunderstorm hit large parts of northern Vietnam on Saturday, turning the sky dark in a matter of minutes, with sudden downpours and strong winds felling trees in the capital of Hanoi and temporarily disrupting air travel at the Noi Bai international airport.
Quan, a 40-year-old tourist, said he drifted for about three hours on a wooden chair from the sunken boat before a fishing vessel finally rescued him.
Hanging on the chair together with him were another two people, only one of whom survived.
"One of them was too tired and couldn't hold any longer. What a tragedy," he said.
His account matches that from the second person who survived by holding onto the chair.
"The waves were so strong. One of the other two was too tired and said goodbye to us," Vu Anh Tu, a 25-year-old member of the crew, told Reuters.
He also recalled how the storm hit the boat so suddenly, causing it to overturn "in 15 seconds".
"There was so much loss, including children," he said, confirming reports from authorities that several minors were also on the sunken vessel.
"I don't know if I'll ever work on a boat again," Tu said.
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Rebooting Paradise Inc: Why Modi's Visit Is A Booster Shot For Maldives
Rebooting Paradise Inc: Why Modi's Visit Is A Booster Shot For Maldives

News18

time2 hours ago

  • News18

Rebooting Paradise Inc: Why Modi's Visit Is A Booster Shot For Maldives

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About the Author Sanbeer Singh Ranhotra Sanbeer Singh Ranhotra is a producer and video journalist at Network18. He is enthusiastic about and writes on both national affairs as well as geopolitics. tags : India-Maldives relations Maldives pm narendra modi Straight Talk view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 25, 2025, 11:40 IST News opinion Straight Talk | Rebooting Paradise Inc: Why Modi's Visit Is A Booster Shot For Maldives Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Tourists From India Down 50% Since 2024; Maldives Pins Hopes On PM Modi's Trip To Bring Them Back
Tourists From India Down 50% Since 2024; Maldives Pins Hopes On PM Modi's Trip To Bring Them Back

News18

time4 hours ago

  • News18

Tourists From India Down 50% Since 2024; Maldives Pins Hopes On PM Modi's Trip To Bring Them Back

Last Updated: The economy of the Maldives depends in a big way on tourism, and the drop in Indian tourists has hit the country hard There is a big reason why the Maldives is looking at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit with great hope—it wishes that Indian tourists get the message and start coming again in big numbers to enjoy its exotic islands and turquoise blue waters. Tourism from India to the Maldives has dropped by almost 50 per cent. Till 2023, India was the number 1 country when it came to contributing tourists to the Maldives. In 2022 and 2023, as many as 2.4 lakh and 2.06 lakh Indian tourists, respectively, went to the Maldives, more than from any other country. But the reaction of some senior functionaries of the Maldives to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lakshadweep in January 2024 drew an angry response in India, and Indians started shunning the Maldives. The impact was humungous. Last year, only 1.3 lakh Indians visited the Maldives, and India dropped to the number 6 spot among countries contributing tourists. This year, till July 22, just 73,200 Indians have visited the Maldives, and India remains at the number 6 spot with a 6% market share in all tourists coming to the archipelagic country. It is almost the same as last year. China now contributes the maximum tourists to the Maldives, with 1.75 lakh Chinese tourists arriving this year. The economy of the Maldives depends in a big way on tourism, and the drop in Indian tourists has hit the country hard. Locals in Male told News18 that they regret the harsh response from the Maldives functionaries in 2024 when they said their country's tourist infrastructure was unmatched compared to India. 'We want Indians to come in big numbers to the Maldives like earlier. Their PM is coming. Bad relations in 2024 are a thing of the past," locals said. Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri said earlier this week that India wants to introduce UPI in the Maldives, which will attract more Indian tourists—an agreement may be signed soon. India is also helping build the Hanimaadhoo International Airport in the Maldives through a line of credit that will be the northernmost airport of the country and just an hour away from southern Indian cities. The Maldives hopes this will make it more accessible for Indian travellers. India is supporting many tourism projects in the Maldives. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Monsoon break likely in early August; Gadgchiroli's Mulchera receives 240mm in 24 hours
Monsoon break likely in early August; Gadgchiroli's Mulchera receives 240mm in 24 hours

Time of India

time8 hours ago

  • Time of India

Monsoon break likely in early August; Gadgchiroli's Mulchera receives 240mm in 24 hours

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Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He, however, said the next 3-4 days would provide a clearer picture. In an updated advisory, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services has revised its high-wave warning, now predicting higher waves of 3.8 to 4.7 metres along the coasts of Thane, Mumbai city and suburbs, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Palghar and Sindhudurg districts than previously predicted. The warning period has been extended from 5.30pm on Thursday to 8.30pm on Saturday. Small boats have been strictly advised against venturing into the sea during this period. Speaking about the likely break in monsoon, a senior IMD official said, "Early Aug is generally considered a break-prone period meteorologically. Some forecasts suggest that a break phase may occur in late July or early Aug. In one sense, a break phase can be beneficial. There has already been substantial rainfall over the core monsoon zone, so a pause allows for much-needed sunlight. At the same time, regions in the Himalayas and parts of northeast India that have so far received less rain may benefit too, as they often get more rainfall during such phases. " In a separate incident in Gadchiroli district, a gram sevak was successfully rescued after being trapped in the suddenly rising floodwaters of Kolpalli nullah in Gomani village. Police and local rescue teams responded immediately to ensure his safe evacuation. Pune: Meteorologists have warned of a potential monsoon break in early Aug, a period traditionally prone to such disruptions, while triple-digit rainfall lashed multiple locations in Maharashtra, with Mulchera (240mm) in Gadchiroli emerging as one of the wettest stations in the 24-hour period ending Thursday morning. Weather experts said preliminary signs suggested that the monsoon trough might shift northward because of a low-pressure system moving across central India. If this continues, it may signal the northward displacement of the monsoon trough. The positioning of the trough along the Himalayan foothills could trigger the season's first break-in-monsoon condition, they said. India Meteorological Department (IMD) said remnants of tropical cyclone 'Wipha' emerged over the north Bay of Bengal, leading to the formation of a low pressure area over the same region on Thursday. GP Sharma, president of Skymet Weather, said: "The low-pressure system that has formed over the Bay of Bengal will not behave like a normal monsoon system. Usually, these systems track along the eastern parts, move through central regions and progress to northern areas, possibly reaching Rajasthan. This system is, however, displaying somewhat different behaviour. There are specific reasons for this deviation." Sharma attributed the unusual pattern to an anticyclone system. "A strong anticyclone over northwest India may prevent the system from moving towards northwestern regions, potentially forcing its movement closer to Himalayan foothills and causing the trough line to shift north of its normal position. When the trough line shifts closer to the foothills of the Himalayas, rainfall reduces significantly over most western, southern and central parts, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and the southern peninsula," Sharma said. He, however, said the next 3-4 days would provide a clearer picture. In an updated advisory, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services has revised its high-wave warning, now predicting higher waves of 3.8 to 4.7 metres along the coasts of Thane, Mumbai city and suburbs, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Palghar and Sindhudurg districts than previously predicted. The warning period has been extended from 5.30pm on Thursday to 8.30pm on Saturday. Small boats have been strictly advised against venturing into the sea during this period. Speaking about the likely break in monsoon, a senior IMD official said, "Early Aug is generally considered a break-prone period meteorologically. Some forecasts suggest that a break phase may occur in late July or early Aug. In one sense, a break phase can be beneficial. There has already been substantial rainfall over the core monsoon zone, so a pause allows for much-needed sunlight. At the same time, regions in the Himalayas and parts of northeast India that have so far received less rain may benefit too, as they often get more rainfall during such phases. " In a separate incident in Gadchiroli district, a gram sevak was successfully rescued after being trapped in the suddenly rising floodwaters of Kolpalli nullah in Gomani village. Police and local rescue teams responded immediately to ensure his safe evacuation.

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