HA LONG BAY, Vietnam (AP) — A Vietnamese man who survived the capsification of a tour boat in Hang Bay has described his escape from the capsized ship.
Vietnam’s provincial media said at least 35 people have been killed in the accident, and the search for four missing people is still ongoing. Authorities said previous reports of 38 deaths and five missing people were incorrect.
Wondersea took a three-hour excursion early Saturday afternoon at the popular tourist destination, Halong Bay, with 46 passengers and three crew members.
However, the storm quickly covered the sky, causing strong winds and rain, survivor Dan Anne Tuan told the Associated Press.
Tourist ship Wonder Sea will be towed to a shipyard for investigation on Sunday, July 20, 2025, after capsizing that killed multiple people in a thunderstorm in Hung Bay, Vietnam.
Tuan said the passengers asked the boat to return to the shore, but the crew reassured that they were mostly at their destination and continued to advance the boat.
“It rained for about 15 minutes, then the boat began to shake violently, the tables and chairs were shocked, and a few seconds later the boat capsized,” said the 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman. “The water gushed out and I lost all orientation.”
“I tried to breathe, but more water came in. I took a deep breath, removed the vest of my life, looked at the streaks of a pigeon, swam after it, escaped the boat, then climbed onto the covered boat and asked for help,” he said.
Tuan and several others survived by clinging to the capsized boat and its propellers, waiting two more hours before the rain stopped and rescuers arrived.
The Wonder Sea Boat was later towed to the shipyard for investigation, with most of the windows shattered and the roof and railings damaged. Police and other officials can be seen working on the boat.
Rescue personnel recovered 11 survivors, but one died in the hospital due to injuries, the VNexpress newspaper said.
The strong winds caused the boat to turn upside down, the newspaper said. The 14-year-old was rescued four hours after being trapped in a fallen hull.
The newspaper said most of the passengers are Hanoi tourists, including around 20 children.
Tuan was a holiday with 11 college friends, only three of whom survived. Thuan only has slight amputations, but one of his friends suffered multiple head injuries and the other tendon was cut with broken glass as he escaped the boat through the window.
The other nine members of the group were killed, including those who were traveling with their wife and 3-year-old son. My wife and children also owned and died.
Tropical storms are also moving towards the region. National weather forecasts show that Storm Wifa is expected to be attacked next week in northern Vietnam, including Ha Long Bay’s coast.
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