Deadly Vietnam tour boat survivor describes his escape
At least 38 people were killed in the accident and a search is continuing for five who are still missing, according to Vietnamese state media.
The Wonder Sea embarked early Saturday afternoon for a three-hour excursion in the popular bay, carrying 48 passengers and five crew.
Tuan said the passengers asked for the boat to turn back to shore, but the crew reassured them they were almost at their destination and kept the boat moving forward.
"It rained for about 15 minutes, and then the boat started to shake vigorously, tables and chairs were jostled around and seconds later the boat overturned," the 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman said.
"Water gushed in and I lost all orientation.
"I tried to breathe. But more water came in. I took a deep breath, got rid of my life vest and dove down.
"I saw a streak of light and followed it to swim out, escaping the boat, and then I climbed on the overturned boat to look for help," he said.
Tuan and three others survived by clinging to the capsized boat and its propellers, waiting another two hours until the rain stopped and rescuers arrived.
Rescue workers saved 11 people, but one died in hospital due to injuries, VNExpress newspaper said.
The boat turned upside down because of strong winds, the newspaper said.
A 14-year-old boy was rescued after four hours trapped in the overturned hull.
The newspaper said most of the passengers were tourists from Hanoi, including about 20 children.
Tuan was a holiday with 11 university friends, only three of whom survived.
Tuan has only minor cuts, but one of his friends suffered multiple head injuries and the other's tendons were cut by broken glass as he escaped the boat through a window.
The other nine members of the group were killed, including one who was travelling with his wife and three-year-old son. The wife and child were also drowned.
A tropical storm is also moving toward the area.
A national weather forecast said Storm Wipha was expected to hit Vietnam's northern region next week, including Ha Long Bay's coast.
A Vietnamese man who survived the capsizing of a tour boat in Ha Long Bay has described his escape from the overturned vessel.
At least 38 people were killed in the accident and a search is continuing for five who are still missing, according to Vietnamese state media.
The Wonder Sea embarked early Saturday afternoon for a three-hour excursion in the popular bay, carrying 48 passengers and five crew.
Tuan said the passengers asked for the boat to turn back to shore, but the crew reassured them they were almost at their destination and kept the boat moving forward.
"It rained for about 15 minutes, and then the boat started to shake vigorously, tables and chairs were jostled around and seconds later the boat overturned," the 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman said.
"Water gushed in and I lost all orientation.
"I tried to breathe. But more water came in. I took a deep breath, got rid of my life vest and dove down.
"I saw a streak of light and followed it to swim out, escaping the boat, and then I climbed on the overturned boat to look for help," he said.
Tuan and three others survived by clinging to the capsized boat and its propellers, waiting another two hours until the rain stopped and rescuers arrived.
Rescue workers saved 11 people, but one died in hospital due to injuries, VNExpress newspaper said.
The boat turned upside down because of strong winds, the newspaper said.
A 14-year-old boy was rescued after four hours trapped in the overturned hull.
The newspaper said most of the passengers were tourists from Hanoi, including about 20 children.
Tuan was a holiday with 11 university friends, only three of whom survived.
Tuan has only minor cuts, but one of his friends suffered multiple head injuries and the other's tendons were cut by broken glass as he escaped the boat through a window.
The other nine members of the group were killed, including one who was travelling with his wife and three-year-old son. The wife and child were also drowned.
A tropical storm is also moving toward the area.
A national weather forecast said Storm Wipha was expected to hit Vietnam's northern region next week, including Ha Long Bay's coast.
A Vietnamese man who survived the capsizing of a tour boat in Ha Long Bay has described his escape from the overturned vessel.
At least 38 people were killed in the accident and a search is continuing for five who are still missing, according to Vietnamese state media.
The Wonder Sea embarked early Saturday afternoon for a three-hour excursion in the popular bay, carrying 48 passengers and five crew.
Tuan said the passengers asked for the boat to turn back to shore, but the crew reassured them they were almost at their destination and kept the boat moving forward.
"It rained for about 15 minutes, and then the boat started to shake vigorously, tables and chairs were jostled around and seconds later the boat overturned," the 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman said.
"Water gushed in and I lost all orientation.
"I tried to breathe. But more water came in. I took a deep breath, got rid of my life vest and dove down.
"I saw a streak of light and followed it to swim out, escaping the boat, and then I climbed on the overturned boat to look for help," he said.
Tuan and three others survived by clinging to the capsized boat and its propellers, waiting another two hours until the rain stopped and rescuers arrived.
Rescue workers saved 11 people, but one died in hospital due to injuries, VNExpress newspaper said.
The boat turned upside down because of strong winds, the newspaper said.
A 14-year-old boy was rescued after four hours trapped in the overturned hull.
The newspaper said most of the passengers were tourists from Hanoi, including about 20 children.
Tuan was a holiday with 11 university friends, only three of whom survived.
Tuan has only minor cuts, but one of his friends suffered multiple head injuries and the other's tendons were cut by broken glass as he escaped the boat through a window.
The other nine members of the group were killed, including one who was travelling with his wife and three-year-old son. The wife and child were also drowned.
A tropical storm is also moving toward the area.
A national weather forecast said Storm Wipha was expected to hit Vietnam's northern region next week, including Ha Long Bay's coast.
A Vietnamese man who survived the capsizing of a tour boat in Ha Long Bay has described his escape from the overturned vessel.
At least 38 people were killed in the accident and a search is continuing for five who are still missing, according to Vietnamese state media.
The Wonder Sea embarked early Saturday afternoon for a three-hour excursion in the popular bay, carrying 48 passengers and five crew.
Tuan said the passengers asked for the boat to turn back to shore, but the crew reassured them they were almost at their destination and kept the boat moving forward.
"It rained for about 15 minutes, and then the boat started to shake vigorously, tables and chairs were jostled around and seconds later the boat overturned," the 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman said.
"Water gushed in and I lost all orientation.
"I tried to breathe. But more water came in. I took a deep breath, got rid of my life vest and dove down.
"I saw a streak of light and followed it to swim out, escaping the boat, and then I climbed on the overturned boat to look for help," he said.
Tuan and three others survived by clinging to the capsized boat and its propellers, waiting another two hours until the rain stopped and rescuers arrived.
Rescue workers saved 11 people, but one died in hospital due to injuries, VNExpress newspaper said.
The boat turned upside down because of strong winds, the newspaper said.
A 14-year-old boy was rescued after four hours trapped in the overturned hull.
The newspaper said most of the passengers were tourists from Hanoi, including about 20 children.
Tuan was a holiday with 11 university friends, only three of whom survived.
Tuan has only minor cuts, but one of his friends suffered multiple head injuries and the other's tendons were cut by broken glass as he escaped the boat through a window.
The other nine members of the group were killed, including one who was travelling with his wife and three-year-old son. The wife and child were also drowned.
A tropical storm is also moving toward the area.
A national weather forecast said Storm Wipha was expected to hit Vietnam's northern region next week, including Ha Long Bay's coast.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
One dead as tropical storm Wipha weakens across Vietnam
One person is dead and another is missing following heavy storms across northern Vietnam as Wipha weakened from a tropical storm into a depression. A 59-year-old man was killed in Nghe An province when a tree fell on his house before the storm made landfall, police said. Nghe An, which stretches from the coast to the mountainous Laos border, was among the areas hit hardest by heavy rain and floods. Another woman was swept away by floodwaters and remains missing. Four other people were injured. Flooding damaged hundreds of homes, destroyed crops and cut off remote communities, officials said. Nearly 400 households were evacuated from the province's landslide-prone areas, and several upland communities remain isolated without electricity or communication, officials said. Heavy rains triggered landslides that damaged roads, collapsed part of a school building and destroyed crops and forest. Wipha made landfall Tuesday morning with sustained winds of up to 102km/h before weakening as it moved inland. It caused power outages, disrupted farming operations and forced temporary airport closures in northern provinces. In neighbouring Thailand, heavy rain from Tuesday night into Wednesday triggered flooding in several northern provinces, swelling rivers and inundating homes. Authorities said more than 350 people were affected, though no casualties have been reported. They warned of possible flash floods and landslides.
7NEWS
a day ago
- 7NEWS
Newlyweds say ‘I do' in knee-deep water as monsoonal rain sparks flooding in the Philippines
Here comes the tide! True love has overcome Mother Nature in the Philippines, where even severe flooding could not dampen the spirits of one couple on their wedding day. Groom Jade Rick Verdillo and bride Jamaica Aguilar said 'I do' in knee-deep water at the Barasoain Church in Malolos, an hour north of the country's capital of Manila. Typhoon Wipha has supercharged seasonal monsoonal rains in the region, driving widespread flooding that has forced thousands of people to flee. Far from getting cold feet, Verdillo said the newlyweds were happy to defy the weather on Tuesday because marriages are about overcoming challenges. 'I feel that challenges won't be over. It's just a test. This is just one of the struggles that we've overcome,' he told AP. Aguilar wore a white dress and Verdillo donned a formal embroidered long-sleeved shirt called a barong tagalog. The couple, who have been together for 10 years, exchanged their vows in front of a bridal party and dozens of family and friends, who left their shoes on a church pew. 'You will see love prevailed because even against weather, storm, rains, floods, the wedding continued,' guest Jiggo Santos said. 'It's an extraordinary wedding.' The Barasoain Church also shared photos of the wedding, saying that the 'unity of people will continue'. 'Despite the flooding inside, outside and around our parish caused by the rain, the celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage of Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar held in our parish still continues,' the church said. 'Regardless of the flood of the brides and their guests, the unity of the couple will continue in front of the Temple of God. 'In this time of typhoon and disaster, we are encouraged to continue to pray for safety of all.' Other posts by the church showed funeral services had also continued despite the wild weather. Malolos was among a number of regions, including Manila, where classes and government work was suspended due to the torrential rain. Rescue services have been sent to evacuate communities inundated by water and help others in trouble.
West Australian
2 days ago
- West Australian
Cave dining in Vietnam and a show that deep-dives into culture
Vietnam has a new theatrical show and a fine dining experience in a 150-million-year-old cave. Featuring very local northern Vietnamese cuisine, and accompanied by a 2.5-hour show, the setting is the Dragon Pearl Cave, about 30 minutes' drive from Ha Long City. The cave is one of the biggest in the Bai Tu Long area of Vietnam's Cam Pha district, extending for 4000sqm. It is actually 45m above sea level. And the dinner-and-show seems a natural progression for Dragon Pearl, which is one of a complex of five caves in Vung Duc, as locals call it 'a theatre inside a mountain' because of its two chambers, which have many stalagmites and stalactites. + There is a 45-minute cultural show called 'The Quest for the Dragon Pearl'. created by director Le Thanh Phong. A spokesperson for the Dragon Pearl team explains: 'With stalagmites setting the stage, the show's performers harness music, dance, acrobatics, music, dramatic lighting effects, compelling costumes, puppetry and props to bring Vietnamese folklore to life. The legend of the sacred Dragon Pearl makes for an epic journey of power, peace and the unity of heaven and Earth.' + There is then Vietnamese fine dining by candlelight. Head Chef Nguyen Gia Thien's set menu takes diners on a culinary pilgrimage of the local Quang Ninh Province. Appetisers include pomelo and giant river prawn salad, grilled Van Don oysters with scallop sauce and hand-pounded Co To squid cakes. Main courses include crispy roasted Tien Yen chicken, grilled sea bass in wild dzong leaves, lobster with Tien Vua imperial sauce and Gat Gu rolls and braised Khau Nhuc pork. Then there is Golden Dragon Pearl dessert and Yen Tu golden flower tea. The launch of the cave dining spectacle is a significant step for for Quang Ninh tourism, says Nguyen Hong Nhat, general director of APC Corporation, which is not only behind the spectacular event but the boutique cruise line Ambassador Cruise. 'The Quest for the Dragon Pearl diversifies Quang Ninh's tourism, offering more for travellers to discover beyond famed Ha Long Bay and repositioning our province as a leading cultural and experiential destination,' he says. 'This ancient cave is a new cultural landmark that, through storytelling, natural wonder, and refined hospitality, promotes sustainable, heritage tourism and creates lasting economic and cultural impact for Quang Ninh.' The event costs $85 (1,450,000 Vietnamese dong).
