At least 27 people, including eight children, have died after a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam’s famed Halong Bay during severe weather linked to approaching Storm Wipha.
The cruise vessel, carrying 53 people—48 tourists and five crew members—overturned at around 2 p.m. local time, triggering a major search and rescue effort. The storm brought intense winds, heavy rain, and lightning to the area, contributing to the disaster.
As of Saturday evening, 11 survivors had been rescued and 27 bodies recovered, according to Vietnam’s state news agency. Rescue divers continue searching inside the capsized vessel and the surrounding waters for the remaining missing passengers.
The identities and nationalities of the victims have not yet been officially released, but most of the passengers were reportedly families from Hanoi, according to local outlet VnExpress.
Dramatic photos from the scene show emergency crews and divers working tirelessly around the sunken vessel, with 27 boats and two specialized rescue crafts deployed. Police, Navy, border guards, and port authorities are all involved in the massive recovery operation.
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