HA LONG BAY, Vietnam (BN24) — At least 34 people, including several children, have died after a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam’s famed Ha Long Bay amid worsening weather brought on by Storm Wipha, according to state media.
The vessel, identified as the Wonder Sea, overturned on Saturday around 2 p.m. local time while carrying 53 people, including five crew members. Vietnamese rescue teams pulled 11 survivors from the water and had recovered 34 bodies by late Saturday evening, eight of them children, the state-run Vietnam News Agency reported. The search and rescue operation remains active.
The People’s Army Newspaper, citing local border guards, reported that most passengers were domestic tourists from Hanoi, including approximately 20 children. The authorities have not yet released full details about the identities or nationalities of the victims.
The tragedy unfolded as Storm Wipha churned through the South China Sea, sending heavy rains, powerful winds, and dangerous seas into Vietnam’s northern coast. The storm, which is the third typhoon to strike the region this year, is expected to make landfall early next week. According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, winds associated with Wipha reached sustained speeds of 63 mph (101 km/h), with gusts topping 68 mph (126 km/h) as the system passed south of Taiwan on Saturday.
Air travel disruptions across northern Vietnam were also reported. Noi Bai International Airport, serving Hanoi, said at least nine incoming flights were diverted and three outbound flights grounded due to the storm’s impact.
The deadly incident has cast a shadow over Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its emerald waters and limestone islands. It also raises questions about maritime safety procedures as extreme weather events become increasingly common in the region.
Local officials said the Wonder Sea was operating legally but are now investigating whether the boat’s operator adhered to weather warnings and safety regulations. Strong winds and turbulent waters likely contributed to the vessel’s sudden capsizing.
With rescue efforts still underway and questions remaining about the incident, authorities have vowed a full inquiry while families mourn the loss of dozens in what has become one of Vietnam’s deadliest maritime disasters in recent years.
