Latest news with #borderGuards
The Independent
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Rescuers recover victims after tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam
Rescuers have recovered 34 bodies and found 11 survivors after the Wonder Sea tourist boat capsized in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, on Saturday (19 July). The boat was carrying 53 people, including five crew members, when it overturned around 2 pm local time amid sudden strong winds and a thunderstorm. Most passengers were tourists from Hanoi, including about 20 children, the People's Army Newspaper said, citing local border guards. Authorities have yet to confirm the tourists' nationalities and continue searching for missing people. A national weather forecast said a tropical storm called Wipha is expected to hit Vietnam's northern region, including Ha Long Bay's coast, next week.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
At least 18 dead, dozens missing after tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay
At least 18 people have died and dozens remain missing after a tourist boat carrying more than 50 people capsized on July 19 in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay, state media said. "On the afternoon of July 19, the Wonder Sea tourist boat carrying 53 people capsized. Border guards rescued 12 people and recovered 18 bodies," said a report on the VNExpress news site. Ha Long Bay is one of the country's top tourist attractions, drawing more than 5 million visitors a year to the province where 1,600 stunning jagged rock formations rise out of the bay, forming tiny islands. Many visitors stay overnight on wooden boats equipped with sleeping cabins and eating quarters. The bay has seen boats go down in the past. In February 2011, 12 people died after a tour boat sank. In 2009, a tour boat sank during a storm, killing five, including three foreign vacationers. In 2006, a powerful wind storm capsized several boats, killing 13 people, though no tourists were among the dead. In 2002, strong winds capsized two tourist boats, killing several foreigners. Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site dotted with limestone formations, is located near the Chinese border in the Gulf of Tonkin about three hours east of the capital, Hanoi.
CNA
2 days ago
- Climate
- CNA
Vietnam tourist boat capsizes in Ha Long Bay, three dead
HANOI: A tourist boat carrying 53 people, including five crew members, capsized in Vietnam's Halong Bay on Saturday (Jul 19), killing three people, state media reported. The accident occurred at approximately 2pm local time (3pm, Singapore time), shortly after Storm Wipha entered the South China Sea. Strong winds, heavy rainfall and lightning were recorded in the area. Rescue teams have located 12 survivors and recovered three bodies, the People's Army Newspaper said, citing local border guards. Authorities have yet to disclose details about the tourists or their nationalities, and rescue operations are ongoing. Halong Bay, situated roughly 200km northeast of Hanoi, attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually, many of whom take overnight boat tours. Storm Wipha, the third typhoon to hit the South China Sea this year, is projected to make landfall along Vietnam's northern coast early next week. Weather disruptions linked to the storm have also impacted air travel. Noi Bai Airport reported that nine arriving flights were diverted to alternate airports, while three departing flights were temporarily grounded due to adverse conditions.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Climate
- Reuters
Vietnam tourist boat capsizes in Halong Bay, three dead
HANOI, July 19 (Reuters) - A tourist boat carrying 53 people, including five crew members, capsized in Vietnam's Halong Bay on Saturday, killing three people, state media reported. The accident occurred at approximately 2 p.m. local time (0700 GMT), shortly after Storm Wipha entered the South China Sea. Strong winds, heavy rainfall, and lightning were recorded in the area. Rescue teams have located 12 survivors and recovered three bodies, the People's Army Newspaper said, citing local border guards. Authorities have yet to disclose details about the tourists or their nationalities, and rescue operations are ongoing. Halong Bay, situated roughly 200 km (125 miles) northeast of Hanoi, attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually, many of whom take overnight boat tours. Storm Wipha, the third typhoon to hit the South China Sea this year, is projected to make landfall along Vietnam's northern coast early next week. Weather disruptions linked to the storm have also impacted air travel. Noi Bai Airport reported that nine arriving flights were diverted to alternate airports, while three departing flights were temporarily grounded due to adverse conditions.
The Guardian
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Gibraltar agrees 15% sales tax on goods in post-Brexit settlement with Spain
Gibraltar will apply a 15% sales tax on goods to avoid unfair competition with Spain, as a result of the agreement on the post-Brexit future of the British overseas territory, it has emerged. The territory has agreed to ensure a 15% minimum 'transaction tax' on goods within three years of the ratification of the agreement, according to a senior European official. 'For Gibraltar, it was a big ask, they have always claimed … that this taxation will create for them a serious economic problem,' the official said. The European Commission insisted that the British territory had to align its taxation policies with the EU in order to join a customs union, an integral part of the deal struck on Wednesday. 'The agreement that we have reached is that they will, in a period of three years, reach a level [on a transaction tax] that is acceptable for us,' the person said. The agreement, hailed as 'historic', will erase the border separating the British overseas territory from the rest of the Iberian peninsula. Gibraltar will be connected to the EU's border-free Schengen zone, meaning Gibraltarians can move freely in the surrounding region, although without rights to work and settle elsewhere in the EU. Passport checks will be carried out at the port and airport by British and Spanish border guards. Spanish officers will be empowered to deny entry to the British overseas territory to any British national who has already exceeded their 90-day stay limit. Under Schengen rules, UK citizens are limited to stays of 90 days within a 180-day period. Spanish customs officials will also check goods entering Gibraltar via the land border, the main entry point for nearly all items. The British overseas territory will eventually enter into a customs union with the EU, which requires a further agreement. Spain's foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, has welcomed 'the tax convergence process that will ensure that everybody is treated fairly'. He said: 'Now Gibraltar is linked to the customs union. There will be fair competition for everybody. Madrid has long been concerned that cigarettes from Gibraltar were being illegally sold in Spain, while European anti-fraud investigators have warned about cross-border smuggling by organised crime. The government of Gibraltar, which is responsible for setting taxation on the British overseas territory, has been contacted for comment. The Gibraltar agreement came weeks after the UK and EU agreed on a wider reset. EU sources said completing the unfinished business of Brexit for Gibraltar was necessary to move forward in other areas, such as defence and a veterinary agreement. Spain has been blocking British participation in defence projects and could have proved an obstacle to future deals if the status of Gibraltar had not been agreed. 'Everyone wanted to find compromises, solutions, etc, and it was the right moment to do that,' the official said.
