Death Toll Rises To 38 After Tourist Boat Capsizes In Vietnam During Thunderstorm

The death toll from Saturday’s tourist boat capsizing in Vietnam’s Halong Bay has risen to 38. The Wonder Sea boat was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members during the tour of Ha Long Bay when it capsized due to a sudden thunderstorm on July 19 afternoon.

“At least 38 of those on board have been confirmed dead and 10 rescued,” the government said in a statement, Reuters reported.

All the tourists were Vietnamese, including 20 children, the official Vietnam News Agency stated. The rescue mission deployed border guards, navy personnel, police and professional divers. Four of the victims are yet to be identified.

The weather conditions made the rescue operations difficult as it offered limited visibility.

The sunken boat has been retrieved, the government said. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.

Authorities said it will “investigate and clarify the cause of the incident and strictly handle violations.” 

The weather conditions made the rescue operations difficult as it offered limited visibility.

The sunken boat has been retrieved, the government said. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.

Authorities said it will “investigate and clarify the cause of the incident and strictly handle violations.” 

According to the Vietnam Law Magazine, the boat capsized as it got caught amid extreme weather conditions following torrential rain, lightning and fierce winds through northern Vietnam and the Gulf of Tonkin.

“The National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting attributed the extreme weather to a convergence zone sweeping through the region, which, combined with three days of scorching temperatures, created unstable atmospheric conditions ripe for severe storms,” it said.