Vietnam: Tourist boat capsizes, killing dozens

2025-07-20 04:44:46

A tourist boat in Vietnam capsized on Saturday, leaving 35 people dead and several others missing, according to authorities.

The vessel was carrying 53 people, when it capsized while doing a tour of northern Vietnam's famous Ha Long Bay. Most of the passengers were tourists from the capital Hanoi, local media said.

Border guards had recovered dozens of bodies on Saturday and another three crew members' bodies were recovered by Sunday morning. Efforts were still on to find the missing people.

"I took a deep breath, swam through a gap, dived then swam up, I even shouted for help, then I was pulled up by a boat with soldiers on," a rescued 10-year-old boy told state media outlet VietnamNet.

Authorities are trying to determine the cause of the accident and see if there were any safety violations.

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which spans over 1,500 square kilometers (579 square miles).

It is filled with nearly 2,000 islands and islets and is considered one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, attracting millions of visitors each year.