At least 28 people have died and dozens are missing after a tourist boat carrying more than 50 capsized in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, state media said.
The vessel was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members when it capsized because of sudden heavy rain as it toured the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Dan Tri news site said.
The incident occurred at approximately 2pm local time (8am Irish time), shortly after Storm Wipha entered the South China Sea.
Strong winds, heavy rainfall, and lightning were recorded in the area.
“Border guards rescued 12 people and recovered 28 bodies,” said a report on the VNExpress news site.
Most of those on board were families visiting from the capital Hanoi, with more than 20 children among the passengers, VNExpress said.
Authorities have yet to disclose details about the tourists or their nationalities, and rescue operations are ongoing.
Halong Bay, situated roughly 200km northeast of Hanoi, attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually, many of whom take overnight boat tours.
Storm Wipha, the third typhoon to hit the South China Sea this year, is projected to make landfall along Vietnam’s northern coast early next week.
Weather disruptions linked to the storm have also impacted air travel.
Noi Bai Airport reported that nine arriving flights were diverted to alternate airports, while three departing flights were temporarily grounded due to adverse conditions.