Tragedy in Ha Long Bay – Over 40 Dead in Cruise Ship Disaster Amid Storm July 20, 2025 Quang Ninh Province,

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📰 Tragedy in Ha Long Bay – Over 40 Dead in Cruise Ship Disaster Amid Storm
🗓️ July 20, 2025
📍 Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam

📄At least 38 people have died and five remain missing following the capsizing of a tourist cruise ship in Ha Long Bay, a world-famous UNESCO World Heritage site in northeastern Vietnam. The incident occurred around 2:00 PM on July 19 amid heavy rain and strong winds, according to Vietnamese authorities.

The vessel was carrying 53 people, including 48 passengers and 5 crew members, when it overturned. Rescue teams saved 11 people, but one survivor later died at the hospital, bringing the official death toll to 38. Search operations are ongoing, involving hundreds of personnel, divers, military units, and firefighters.

Survivor Dang En Tuan, speaking to the Associated Press, described chaotic scenes as the storm intensified. “Passengers asked to return to shore because of the worsening weather, but the crew insisted we were almost at the destination,” he said. “Then the boat began to sway violently. Tables and chairs were flung. Within seconds, it capsized.”

Tuan removed his life jacket and jumped into the sea. He clung to debris and the ship’s propeller with three others for two hours before rescue teams arrived. Of the 12 people in his student group on summer break, only three survived.

Reports indicate all passengers were Vietnamese, most of them families from Hanoi, with around 20 children onboard. A local man, mourning the loss of his two sons and their young families, tearfully told AFP, “We just wanted a summer break with our children. Then this nightmare happened.”

Local media have described the incident as the deadliest cruise-related disaster in Ha Long Bay’s history.

The tragedy is expected to spark national outrage and scrutiny over cruise safety standards, weather monitoring protocols, and operator accountability in tourist regions. Vietnamese authorities are likely to implement stricter regulations on vessel departures during adverse weather conditions. A full investigation is anticipated, and criminal negligence charges may follow.

This disaster has devastated dozens of families and cast a dark shadow over one of Vietnam’s premier tourist destinations. It underscores the urgent need for improved maritime safety measures, particularly amid unpredictable climate conditions.

Reported from Quang Ninh, Vietnam – World News Asia Correspondence Desk

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