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Daily Express
2 hours ago
- Daily Express
Holiday turned tragic with over 35 dead
Published on: Monday, July 21, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jul 21, 2025 By: AFP Text Size: Rescue workers searching for victims after the boat capsized, in this screencap. — AP pic. VIETNAM: Rescuers searched desperately yesterday for four people still missing after at least 35 were killed when a boat capsized at one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations. The tourist boat ferrying families around Vietnam's famed Ha Long Bay was lashed by a sudden storm Saturday in one of the deadliest disasters at the Unesco World Heritage site. Advertisement The vessel Wonder Sea was carrying 46 passengers and three crew when it capsized because of sudden heavy rain, according to a provincial police report seen by AFP. The capsized vessel was later righted by the authorities before being towed away for investigation. Previous state media reports had said that 53 people were on board and 37 people had died, but the figures were later revised by police. Tran Trong Hung, a resident in the Ha Long Bay area, said: 'The sky turned dark.' There were 'hailstones as big as toes with torrential rain, thunderstorms and lightning', he added. Most of those on board were families visiting from the capital, Hanoi, with more than 20 children among the passengers, state media outlet VNExpress said Thirty-five bodies had been recovered yesterday and 10 people rescued, police said, with four people still missing. One of the rescued, a 10-year-old boy, told state media outlet VietnamNet: 'I took a deep breath, swam through a gap, dived then swam up, I even shouted for help, then I was pulled up by a boat with soldiers on board.' Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent his condolences on Saturday to relatives of those killed and called on the defence and public security ministries to conduct urgent search and rescue. Authorities would 'investigate and clarify the cause of the incident and strictly handle violations', a government statement said. Torrential rain also lashed northern Hanoi, Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh provinces on Saturday. Several trees were knocked down in the capital by strong winds. The storm followed three days of intense heat, with the mercury hitting 37°C in some areas. Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, was quoted in VNExpress as saying that the thunderstorms in northern Vietnam were not caused by the influence of Tropical Storm Wipha in the South China Sea. Wipha entered the South China Sea yesterday gaining strength, and is on course to make landfall in Vietnam early this week. Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, with millions of people visiting its blue-green waters and rainforest-topped limestone islands each year. Last year, 30 vessels sank at boat lock areas in coastal Quang Ninh province along Ha Long Bay after Typhoon Yagi brought strong wind and waves. And this month, a ferry sank off the popular Indonesian resort island of Bali, killing at least 18 people. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Nightmare at holiday spot, over 35 dead
Trouble at sea: Tourist boat 'Wonder Sea' is returned to an upright position and towed to a shipyard for investigation after it capsized during a thunderstorm in Ha Long Bay. — AP Rescuers searched desperately yesterday for four people still missing after at least 35 were killed when a boat capsized at one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations. The tourist boat ferrying families around Vietnam's famed Ha Long Bay was lashed by a sudden storm Saturday in one of the deadliest disasters at the Unesco World Heritage site. The vessel Wonder Sea was carrying 46 passengers and three crew when it capsized because of sudden heavy rain, according to a provincial police report seen by AFP. The capsized vessel was later righted by the authorities before being towed away for investigation. Previous state media reports had said that 53 people were on board and 37 people had died, but the figures were later revised by police. Tran Trong Hung, a resident in the Ha Long Bay area, said: 'The sky turned dark.' There were 'hailstones as big as toes with torrential rain, thunderstorms and lightning', he added. Rescued passengers resting in a boat in this screencap from a video footage. — AP Most of those on board were families visiting from the capital, Hanoi, with more than 20 children among the passengers, state media outlet VNExpress said Thirty-five bodies had been recovered yesterday and 10 people rescued, police said, with four people still missing. One of the rescued, a 10-year-old boy, told state media outlet VietnamNet: 'I took a deep breath, swam through a gap, dived then swam up, I even shouted for help, then I was pulled up by a boat with soldiers on board.' Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent his condolences on Saturday to relatives of those killed and called on the defence and public security ministries to conduct urgent search and rescue. Authorities would 'investigate and clarify the cause of the incident and strictly handle violations', a government statement said. Passengers on the capsized boat being rescued in this screencap from a video footage. — AP Torrential rain also lashed northern Hanoi, Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh provinces on Saturday. Several trees were knocked down in the capital by strong winds. The storm followed three days of intense heat, with the mercury hitting 37°C in some areas. Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, was quoted in VNExpress as saying that the thunderstorms in northern Vietnam were not caused by the influence of Tropical Storm Wipha in the South China Sea. Tragic event: Rescue workers searching for victims after the boat capsized, in this screencap. — AP Wipha entered the South China Sea yesterday gaining strength, and is on course to make landfall in Vietnam early this week. Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, with millions of people visiting its blue-green waters and rainforest-topped limestone islands each year. Last year, 30 vessels sank at boat lock areas in coastal Quang Ninh province along Ha Long Bay after Typhoon Yagi brought strong wind and waves. And this month, a ferry sank off the popular Indonesian resort island of Bali, killing at least 18 people. — AFP
Gulf Today
12 hours ago
- Climate
- Gulf Today
28 dead, dozens missing as tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam
At least 28 people have died and more than a dozen are missing after a tourist boat ferrying families around Vietnam's famed Ha Long Bay capsized on Saturday, state media said. The vessel was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members when it capsized in the UNESCO World Heritage site because of sudden heavy rain, the Dan Tri news site said. Most of those on board were families visiting from the capital Hanoi, with more than 20 children among the passengers, a report on the VNExpress news site. "Border guards rescued 12 people and recovered 18 bodies," it added. Rescue efforts were set to continue into the night to find the dozens still missing. Relief personnel gather around a capsized tourist boat (L) during a search and rescue operation in the Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh province. AFP Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent his condolences to the families of the deceased and called on the defense and public security ministries to conduct urgent search and rescue. Authorities would "investigate and clarify the cause of the incident and strictly handle violations", a statement on the government website said. Tran Trong Hung, a resident in the Ha Long Bay area told AFP: "The sky turned dark at around 2 pm." There were "hailstones as big as toes with torrential rain, thunderstorm and lightning", he said. This image from a video provided by QDND shows people on a rescue boat after their tourist boat capsized in Ha Long Bay. AP Torrential rain also lashed northern Hanoi, Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh provinces on Saturday. In the capital Hanoi, several trees were knocked down by strong winds. The storm followed three days of intense heat, with the mercury hitting 37 degrees Celsius in some areas. Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, was quoted in VNExpress as saying that the thunderstorms in northern Vietnam were not caused by the influence of Tropical Storm Wipha in the South China Sea. Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, with millions of people visiting its blue-green waters and rainforest-topped limestone islands each year. Last year, 30 vessels sank at boat lock areas in coastal Quang Ninh province along Ha Long Bay after Typhoon Yagi brought strong wind and waves. Earlier this month, a ferry sank off the popular Indonesian resort island of Bali, killing at least 18 people. Agence France-Presse
IOL News
18 hours ago
- IOL News
Search continues for five missing after deadly capsizing in Ha Long Bay that claimed 38 lives
Ha Long Bay in Vietnam 38 were killed when a boat capsized at one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, Ha Long Bay Image: Supplied Desperate rescue efforts are underway in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay as officials search for five individuals still missing after the capsizing of a tourist boat that has claimed at least 38 lives. The incident occurred on Saturday when the vessel, identified as "Wonder Sea," was ferrying families around one of Vietnam's premier tourist hotspots, amidst a sudden, furious storm. Witnesses described the alarming weather conditions that engulfed the area, as Tran Trong Hung, a local resident, recounted, "The sky turned dark," and added that hailstones the size of toes fell alongside torrential rain, thunderstorms, and lightning. The vessel, carrying 48 passengers and five crew members, capsized during the storm, leading to one of the deadliest maritime disasters at the renowned UNESCO World Heritage site. By Saturday evening, authorities had rescued 11 individuals and recovered 34 bodies. Sadly, overnight operations yielded more grim news, with the bodies of three crew members located inside the cabin of the wrecked boat. The death toll now stands at 38, following the passing of one of the rescued victims in a hospital on Sunday. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Among the fortunate survivors was a 10-year-old boy, who shared his harrowing experience: "I took a deep breath, swam through a gap, dived then swam up, I even shouted for help, then I was pulled up by a boat with soldiers on." His story exemplifies the narrow escapes many faced during the chaotic moments before the boat sank. In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed condolences to the grieving families and urged both the defence and public security ministries to accelerate the search and rescue operations. The government has promised to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, ensuring that any violations will be dealt with strictly. In addition to the chaos triggered by the storm, torrential rains wreaked havoc in northern Hanoi along with Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh provinces. Reports indicated that several trees were uprooted in the capital due to strong winds. Interestingly, the director of the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting clarified that the thunderstorms were not directly caused by the influence of Tropical Storm Wipha, which has now entered the South China Sea, gaining strength and is poised to make landfall in Vietnam early next week. Ha Long Bay is cherished for its stunning blue-green waters and the majestic limestone islands that dot its landscape, attracting millions of visitors each year. However, this is not the first maritime incident in recent memory; last year, 30 vessels sank in coastal Quang Ninh province after Typhoon Yagi unleashed strong winds and waves. Earlier this month, a similar disaster occurred near Bali, Indonesia, where a ferry sank, resulting in at least 18 fatalities. DAILY NEWS
DW
19 hours ago
- DW
Vietnam: Tourist boat capsizes, killing at least 37 – DW – 07/19/2025
A sudden storm in northern Vietnam's famous Ha Long Bay tipped the vessel. Children were among the victims. A tourist boat in Vietnam capsized on Saturday, leaving at least 37 people dead and several others missing. The vessel was carrying 53 people, when it capsized while doing a tour of northern Vietnam's famous Ha Long Bay. Most of the passengers were tourists from the capital Hanoi, local media said. Border guards had recovered 34 bodies on Saturday and another three crew members' bodies were recovered by Sunday morning. Efforts were still on to find the missing people. "I took a deep breath, swam through a gap, dived then swam up, I even shouted for help, then I was pulled up by a boat with soldiers on," a rescued 10-year-old boy told state media outlet VietnamNet. Authorities are trying to determine the cause of the accident and see if there were any safety violations. Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which spans over 1,500 square kilometers (579 square miles). It is filled with nearly 2,000 islands and islets and is considered one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, attracting millions of visitors each year. The vessel, dubbed Wonder Sea, was carrying 48 tourists and five crew members at the time of the capsizing, including families with children, VNExpress news outlet reported. Sudden stormy weather landed in Ha Long Bay, with heavy rain and strong winds that appear to have caused the Wonder Sea to overturn. There were "hailstones as big as toes with torrential rain, thunderstorm and lightning," Ha Long Bay office worker Tran Trong Hung told the French AFP news agency. Rescuers recovered 37 bodies on site. Some 11 people were rescued, while eight are still missing. Among those confirmed dead were eight children, VNExpress reported. The news outlet said a 14-year-old boy was among the survivors. He was rescued four hours after being trapped in the overturned hull. Authorities would "investigate and clarify the cause of the incident and strictly handle violations," a statement on the government website said. Rescue efforts were set to continue into the night to find the missing.
