Death toll from tourist boat accident in Vietnam climbs to 38, several people still missing

(Forelines) – As rescuers continued to look for survivors and prepared for Typhoon Wipha’s arrival, the authorities reported that the death toll from a tourist boat disaster in Vietnam’s Halong Bay had risen to at least 38 and that other passengers were still unaccounted for, according to Reuters report.

48 tourists and five crew members were on board when the ship capsized on Saturday afternoon, making it one of the worst boating accidents in the popular tourist site in recent years, Reuters stated.

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

The official Vietnam News Agency reported, cited by Reuters that all of the guests, including some children, were Vietnamese.

Numerous rescues have been sent in, including police, navy troops, border guards, and expert divers. The sea had calmed, but visibility was poor due to weather, which made rescue efforts challenging, Reuters added in a report.

According to Reuters, citing authorities report that the submerged watercraft was successfully recovered by rescuers.

Shortly after Typhoon Wipha made landfall in the South China Sea on Saturday, the disaster occurred at approximately 2 p.m. local time (0700 GMT), as per the report.

At the time of the occurrence, authorities reported strong winds, heavy rains, and lightning in the area. They stated that rather than the typhoon that had not yet arrived, these conditions were brought on by wind patterns over the northern region, reported by Reuters.

As per Reuters, every year, tens of thousands of tourists go to Halong Bay, which is around 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Hanoi. Boat cruises are especially well-liked.

Twelve people, including international visitors, were killed when a tour boat in Halong Bay capsized in 2011.

Typhoon Wipha, the third to hit the South China Sea this year, is predicted to make landfall off the northern coast of Vietnam early next week.