At least 27 people, including eight children, were killed and 23 others are missing after a tourist boat capsized during a sudden thunderstorm in northern Vietnam on Saturday afternoon, state media reported.
The Wonder Sea boat was carrying 53 passengers and five crew members on a sightseeing tour of Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Vietnam’s most popular tourist destinations.
Rescue teams managed to save 11 people, and recovered 27 bodies near the site of the incident, according to VNExpress. The remaining 23 passengers are still unaccounted for.
The boat, which overturned at around 2 pm local time, was due to strong winds and rough waters brought on by the storm, the report said. Among the survivors was a 14-year-old boy, who was trapped in the overturned hull for nearly four hours before being rescued.
Most of the passengers were tourists from Hanoi, including approximately 20 children.
Weather officials have also warned that tropical Storm Wipha is heading toward northern Vietnam, with forecasts predicting it could hit coastal regions near Ha Long Bay early next week.
Authorities are continuing search and rescue operations amid challenging weather conditions.
(With Inputs from Associated Press)
