A tourist boat capsized during a violent thunderstorm in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay on July 19, 2025, killing at least 35 people and leaving several others missing, according to state media reports.
The Wonder Sea vessel was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members during a sightseeing excursion when it capsized around 2 p.m. local time. All passengers and crew aboard were Vietnamese nationals, with most tourists visiting from the capital city of Hanoi. The boat had departed from Ha Long International Passenger Port in Bãi Cháy Ward at approximately 1:30 p.m. local time along Tour Route 2 when it encountered the sudden storm near Đầu Gỗ Cave.
Rescue teams recovered 11 survivors and 34 bodies from the site, with eight people initially reported missing. Among the fatalities were at least eight children, including a six-year-old boy whose body was recovered on July 20 near Ti Tốp Island. The child had been traveling with his family as part of an eight-member group, and his mother and two other relatives also died in the incident.
An eyewitness described the sudden onset of severe weather conditions. The sky darkened around 2 p.m. local time, and there were hailstones as big as toes with torrential rain, thunderstorm and lightning, according to reports. The vessel overturned due to strong winds and choppy waters created by the violent storm.
Among the survivors was a 14-year-old boy who remained trapped for four hours in the ship’s submerged cabin before being rescued. Bui Cong Hoan of the Ha Long Cruise Ship Association explained that although the ship had overturned and the passenger compartment was locked, there was still an air pocket about 20 to 24 inches wide that allowed oxygen to enter, enabling the teenager’s survival. Rescuers broke a window to extract the boy and place him in a rescue boat.
A 10-year-old boy also survived the incident and described his escape to state media. “I took a deep breath, swam through a gap, dived, then swam up,” the child told VietnamNet. The boy, who suffered multiple injuries, is in stable condition at Bai Chay Hospital.
Survivor Dang Anh Tuan, a 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman, recounted the harrowing experience to media outlets. Tuan indicated that passengers had requested the boat return to shore when the storm intensified, but crew members reassured them they were almost at their destination and continued forward. The boat began shaking vigorously as tables and chairs were jostled around before it overturned seconds later. Water rushed in, and Tuan lost all orientation before managing to escape by diving down, following a streak of light, and swimming out of the vessel.
Tuan and several other survivors clung to the capsized boat and its propellers for approximately two hours before the rain stopped and rescue teams arrived. He was traveling with 11 university friends, but only three survived the disaster. The other nine members of his group were killed, including one friend who was traveling with his wife and three-year-old son, all of whom drowned.
Emergency response efforts involved border guards, navy units, police, and port authorities who deployed 27 boats and two rescue crafts to the scene. A team of 15 divers searched the waters for victims and survivors. One survivor who was initially rescued later died in the hospital due to injuries, bringing the confirmed death toll to 35.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent condolences to the families of the deceased and called on the defense and public security ministries to conduct urgent search and rescue operations. Authorities indicated they would investigate and clarify the cause of the incident and strictly handle any violations discovered during the inquiry.
The incident occurred as weather conditions deteriorated across northern Vietnam. Torrential rain also affected Hanoi, Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh provinces on July 19. In the capital, located approximately 175 kilometers from the disaster site, several trees were knocked down by strong winds. The severe weather followed three days of intense heat, with temperatures reaching 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 F.) in some areas.
Weather forecasters confirmed that the thunderstorms in northern Vietnam were not caused by Tropical Storm Wipha, which was located in the South China Sea approximately 684 miles east of Ha Long Bay at the time of the incident.
Ha Long Bay, located in Quang Ninh Province in northern Vietnam, is one of the country’s most iconic natural landmarks and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The bay features more than 1,600 limestone islands and islets and attracts millions of visitors annually. Boat tours are hugely popular among tourists visiting the area, which derives its name from local folklore stating that the islands were formed by a dragon’s tail crashing into the sea.
