HALONG BAY, Vietnam – A tourist boat carrying 53 passengers capsized in Vietnam’s Halong Bay on Saturday (July 19) amid severe storm conditions, resulting in at least 27 confirmed deaths, according to state media reports.
The accident occurred at approximately 2:00 PM local time as Typhoon Wipha approached the country across the South China Sea. Reports indicated strong winds, heavy rain, and lightning in the area at the time.
The newspaper VnExpress reported that most of the tourists were from Hanoi, the capital city; however, no official announcement regarding the tourists’ nationalities has yet been made. Rescue officials continue their search for survivors.
Vietnamese news agencies quoted local officials stating that rescuers have found 11 survivors and recovered 27 bodies, including 8 children.
Halong Bay, located about 200 kilometers northeast of Hanoi, attracts tens of thousands of tourists each year and is well known for its popular boat tours.
Typhoon Wipha is the third typhoon to strike the South China Sea this year and is expected to make landfall along the northern coast of Vietnam early next week.
The weather associated with the typhoon has also impacted air travel. Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport reported that nine incoming flights were diverted to other airports, while three outbound flights were temporarily suspended on Saturday.
