A tourist boat capsized in the Vietnamese tourist bay of Ha Long during a thunderstorm. At least 37 deaths have been reported. This was reported by 'Glavkom' citing the BBC.
It is reported that the vessel named Wonder Seas was carrying 48 tourists, including about 20 children, and five crew members when it capsized after a sudden storm. Most passengers were Vietnamese families who came from the capital Hanoi.
At first, the sky over the bay darkened, and then hail, rain, thunderstorms, and lightning began. So far, the confirmed death toll stands at 37, at least eight of whom are children. Ten people were rescued, including a 10-year-old boy who was found after he ended up in an air pocket in the inverted hull.
The boat will be towed to shore on the morning of July 20 for further investigation.
The country's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed condolences to the families of the deceased. In a government statement, it was said that authorities would investigate the causes of the accident and 'strictly consider violations.'
Another tragedy in the DRC
Earlier in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, at least 148 people died and more than 100 are missing as a result of a fire on a vessel on the Congo River. The fire was caused by cooking on board. Passengers, including children, jumped into the water, unable to swim, leading to numerous drownings. About 100 people were rescued, many of whom suffered severe burns. The injured were taken to temporary shelters, and those who were burned were sent to local hospitals.
The events in Ha Long and the DRC are true tragedies that resulted in a large number of victims from water-related accidents. In Vietnam, a boat carrying tourists capsized during a storm, resulting in the deaths of over 30 people, while in Congo, a vessel on the river caught fire, leading to the deaths of more than 100 people. The governments of both countries are conducting investigations to determine the causes of these horrific events.