Dozens of rescuers searched Sunday for 4 lacking individuals after a thunderstorm capsized a vacationer boat in Vietnam’s Halong Bay, killing at the least a number of dozen, authorities mentioned.
Despite a relaxed sea, rescuers, from police and border guards to divers and navy personnel, have been battling restricted visibility hours earlier than the anticipated landfall in northern Vietnam of Typhoon Wipha, which is now approaching Hong Kong.
The authorities mentioned rescuers had managed to retrieve the sunken boat and revised down the loss of life toll to 35 from an preliminary 38 on Saturday, whereas slicing an estimate of these aboard to 49 from 53, although officers concern the toll might nonetheless rise.
All the vacationers aboard have been Vietnamese, together with a number of youngsters, the official Vietnam News Agency mentioned.
“My brother can swim, but I was told everything happened too fast,” Tran Trung Tu, 39, whose sibling was 32, informed Reuters at a funeral parlour Sunday.
The accident was one of many worst lately within the UNESCO-protected archipelago of 1000’s of limestone islands about 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Hanoi, which pulls tens of 1000’s of holiday makers annually.
The sudden thunderstorm turned the sky darkish in a matter of minutes, felling timber within the capital of Hanoi, the place officers on the Noi Bai worldwide airport mentioned 9 flights have been diverted and three departures quickly halted.
“It is the first time I have experienced an accident with so many casualties here,” mentioned insurance coverage agent Do Thi Thuy.
A tour boat sank in Halong Bay in 2011, killing 12, with some international vacationers amongst them.
The authorities mentioned the accident was attributable to a “sudden” storm. Strong winds, heavy rain and lightning have been reported across the time of the occasion, at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
“I was told life vests were available, but it was too sudden,” mentioned Do Van Hai, 42, a Halong resident. “Hopefully, the missing ones will be found soon.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com