At least 34 people are confirmed dead after a sightseeing boat capsized in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, with rescue efforts still ongoing for survivors.
**Tragic Capsizing in Ha Long Bay: 34 Lives Lost in Storm**

**Tragic Capsizing in Ha Long Bay: 34 Lives Lost in Storm**
Tourist boat sinks during unexpected storm, causing a heartbreaking loss of life.
A tragic incident unfolded on Saturday in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, where a sightseeing tourist boat capsized, resulting in a devastating loss of at least 34 lives, as reported by state media. The vessel, which was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members, was caught off-guard by sudden, severe weather conditions, including strong winds and high waves, leading to its overturning during a popular tour.
According to Vietnamese news sources, search and rescue teams, including naval commandos from Quang Ninh Province, have been scouring the waters and managed to recover multiple bodies, among them eight children. Reports indicated that at least 10 individuals were rescued from the water, including a young boy who had been submerged for an extended period.
"This is the worst accident I’ve seen in Ha Long Bay in the last 25 years," lamented Bui Cong Hoan, the deputy chairman of the Ha Long Tourist Boat Association. Sadly, the tragedy impacted one family particularly hard; only the mother survived after her spouse and two children were among the deceased.
All the individuals on board were Vietnamese nationals, as stated by authorities. Officials have released alarming images depicting the boat entirely capsized, with only its hull visible above the water's surface. The vessel was returning from a tour of Dau Go and other famous limestone caves within the UNESCO World Heritage site when the sudden storm struck, according to Mr. Hoan.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed civil defense forces, alongside the Defense and Public Security Ministries, to bolster search efforts for any remaining survivors, according to the official government news channel.
This is not the first such tragedy in recent years; in 2022, 17 tourists died when another speedboat capsized off the coast of southern Vietnam. The boat's captain faced severe punishment, receiving a seven-year prison sentence. The region has seen devastating incidents in the past; notably, a ferry disaster in 2009 claimed 40 lives when an overloaded vessel sank in central Vietnam, marking one of the nation’s worst maritime disasters.