VNExpress-July 19
Around 300 personnel and 30 vessels worked through the night to locate victims of the Sea Wonder cruise boat that overturned in Ha Long Bay. The Vinh Xanh 58 (Sea Wonder) ship carrying 53 passengers, including more than 20 children, was suddenly hit by a thunderstorm and flipped at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. The accident occurred east of Dau Go Cave in Ha Long Bay, nearly 3 nautical miles (over 5 kilometers) from shore. Border guards, the navy, police, and port authorities joined force for an overnight search. Many fishing vessels also aided the effort, scanning the water surface and nearshore areas. Throughout the night, the rescue team worked to salvage the capsized vessel and expanded the search area based on wind direction and water currents. More than 20 special forces divers from Naval Commando Brigade 126 were deployed to the scene to search inside the vessel.
By 9:30 p.m., rescuers had saved 10 people and recovered 31 bodies. Though the rain had stopped by then, strong winds persisted. The team operated under challenging conditions, as level 4–5 winds (20–38 kilometers per hour) stirred up 1–2 meter waves, reducing visibility and hampering underwater search efforts. Rescue forces used large cranes to salvage the ship. By around 11 p.m., 34 bodies had been recovered, with 8 people still missing. Most of the victims were from Hanoi and traveling with their families. Authorities had thought to salvage the ship right from the start, but there was a possibility that survivors remained inside. Therefore, they prioritized searching for victims first. At around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, the ship was righted and towed ashore. According to the navy, three more crew members were found inside the cabin. Authorities are still working to verify the status of the boat’s captain. Read more at:
