At least 35 people died after a tourist boat capsized during a sudden thunderstorm in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay on Saturday, July 19, 2025, with search operations continuing for missing victims.
The Wonder Sea boat was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members during a sightseeing excursion when it overturned around 1:30 p.m. local time. The vessel departed from Ha Long International Passenger Port in Bãi Cháy Ward at approximately 1:30 p.m. and was traveling along Tour Route 2 when the incident occurred near Đầu Gỗ Cave.
Rescue workers saved 11 people and recovered 34 bodies near the capsizing site, though one survivor later died in the hospital due to injuries. Eight people initially remained missing, but updated reports indicate the death toll has risen to at least 35 or 36 people, with all individuals now accounted for according to the latest reports from Vietnamese authorities.
Among the victims were at least eight children, including a six-year-old boy whose body was recovered on July 20 near Ti Tốp Island. The youngest passenger was three years old, while the oldest was 54. Most passengers were tourists from Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, including approximately 20 children traveling with their families.
The boat capsized due to strong winds and a violent thunderstorm that struck the area. An eyewitness reported that the sky darkened around 2 p.m. local time, bringing hailstones as large as toes along with torrential rain, thunderstorms and lightning. The sudden weather change caught the vessel off guard as it was nearing its destination.
Survivor Dang Anh Tuan, a 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman, described the harrowing experience to authorities. He indicated that passengers requested the boat return to shore when the storm began, but crew members reassured them they were almost at their destination and continued forward. Tuan reported that after about 15 minutes of rain, the boat began shaking violently before overturning within seconds as water rushed in.
A 14-year-old boy survived after being trapped for four hours in the overturned hull’s submerged cabin. Bui Cong Hoan, deputy head of the Ha Long Cruise Ship Association, explained that despite the ship overturning and passenger compartments being locked, an air gap of about 20 to 24 inches remained, providing enough oxygen for the teenager to survive until rescuers broke through a window to extract him.
A 10-year-old boy was also among the survivors, telling Vietnamese media outlets that he took a deep breath, swam through a gap, and dove down before swimming up to safety. The child described shouting for help before being pulled onto a rescue boat by soldiers. He was later treated at Bai Chay Hospital and reported to be in stable condition.
Border guards, navy units, police and port authorities deployed 27 boats and two rescue crafts in response to the emergency. A group of 15 divers entered the water to search for victims and survivors during the extensive rescue operation that continued into the night.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent condolences to the families of the deceased and directed the defense and public security ministries to conduct urgent search and rescue operations. Government officials stated that authorities would “investigate and clarify the cause of the incident and strictly handle violations.”
The Wonder Sea boat was later towed to a shipyard for investigation, with most windows shattered and visible damage to its roof and handrails. Police and other officials examined the vessel as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident.
Tuan was traveling with 11 university friends, but only three survived the disaster. The other nine members of his group died, including one friend who was traveling with his wife and three-year-old son, all of whom drowned in the incident.
The incident occurred as Tropical Storm Wipha approached Vietnam across the South China Sea. However, Vietnamese authorities confirmed that the boat capsizing was not directly related to the typhoon, as the storm was located approximately 684 miles east of Ha Long Bay at the time of the incident.
Ha Long Bay is located in Quang Ninh Province in northern Vietnam and serves as one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. The UNESCO World Heritage site features more than 1,600 limestone islands and islets, attracting millions of visitors annually to its blue-green waters and rainforest-topped formations.
The U.S. State Department confirmed it was aware of the incident and working to determine if any American citizens were affected, though initial reports indicated all passengers and crew members were Vietnamese nationals.
