A tourist boat named Wonder Sea, carrying 53 individuals—including five crew members—capsized on Saturday in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay due to powerful winds. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. local time (7 a.m. GMT), according to reports.
Rescue teams have so far pulled 11 people from the water alive and recovered 37 bodies, at least eight of whom are believed to be children, according to the state-run Vietnam News Agency. Authorities are continuing their search efforts and have yet to confirm the identities or nationalities of many of the passengers, as reported by the People’s Army Newspaper citing local border guards.
The majority of those aboard were tourists, including approximately 20 children, most of whom were reportedly from Hanoi, the nation’s capital.
Among the survivors is a 14-year-old boy who was miraculously rescued after spending four hours trapped inside the overturned boat’s hull.
The disaster occurred shortly after Storm Wipha swept into the South China Sea, lashing the region with heavy rainfall, strong winds, and lightning. Wipha is the third typhoon to affect the area this year and is projected to make landfall along northern Vietnam’s coastline early next week.
The storm has also disrupted air traffic. According to Noi Bai Airport authorities, nine inbound flights had to be rerouted to alternate destinations, and three outbound flights were grounded due to hazardous weather conditions.
Storm Wipha produced sustained winds of up to 63 mph (101 km/h) and gusts reaching 68 mph (126 km/h) as it passed south of Taiwan, the Central News Agency reported.
Located about 125 miles (200 kilometers) northeast of Hanoi, Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most popular tourist destinations. Many visitors opt for overnight boat excursions to explore its scenic limestone karsts and emerald waters.
