Deadly from the Vietnam tourist boat accident climbs to 38

The number of fatalities due to a tourist boat accident in Halong Bay in Vietnam rose to at least 38, with several people still missing, the government said when the rescuers continued to search for survivors and at the same time prepared for the approach of the TAIFUNWIPLHA.

On Saturday afternoon, the ship gathered with 48 tourists and five crew members in one of the worst boat accidents in recent years in the popular tourist area.

“At least 38 of the abortion were saved and 10,” said the government in a statement.
The official Vietnam news agency reported that all tourists were Vietnamese, including several children.

Dozens of rescuers, including border officials, staff of the navy, police and professional divers, were deployed. Although the sea had calmed down, the weather conditions have limited visibility, making the rescue operations difficult.

Savior managed to get the sunken boat, the government said. The accident occurred on Saturday around 2 p.m. local time (0700 GMT), shortly after the Taifunwipha entered the South China Sea. The authorities reported on strong winds, strong rainfall and lightning in the area at the time of the incident and added that these conditions were not yet influenced by the approaching typhoon, but were due to wind patterns in the northern region.

Halong Bay, about 200 km northeast of Hanoi, attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year. Boat tours are particularly popular.

In 2011, the downfall of a travel boat in Halong Bay killed 12 people, including foreign tourists.

The Taifun Wiphha, the third who met the South China Sea this year, is expected to end up on the north coast of Vietnam at the beginning of next week.