HANOI: At least 27 people died after a tourist boat capsized in stormy weather in Vietnam’s Halong Bay on Saturday, state media reported. The boat, carrying 53 people, tipped over at around 2 p.m. local time as Storm Wipha approached the country across the South China Sea.
Strong winds, heavy rainfall, and lightning were reported in the area, complicating rescue efforts. Most of the tourists were from the capital, Hanoi, according to local newspaper VnExpress. Authorities have not yet confirmed the nationalities of the victims as emergency crews continue searching for survivors.
Rescue teams found 11 survivors and recovered 27 bodies, eight of them children, the state-run Vietnam News Agency reported. Halong Bay, located about 200 km northeast of Hanoi, is a major tourist attraction, drawing tens of thousands of visitors annually for its scenic boat tours.
Storm Wipha, the third typhoon to hit the South China Sea this year, is expected to make landfall along Vietnam’s northern coast early next week. The storm has already disrupted air travel, with Noi Bai Airport diverting nine incoming flights and grounding three departures on Saturday. – Reuters
