Dozens of people, including children, are dead following the capsizing of a boat near Vietnam. 

The Daily Mail reports that the incident took place on the afternoon of Saturday, July 19, 2025, at Ha Long Bay, a popular tourist destination.

It would appear that inclement weather played a role in the tragedy.

At least 34 people, including 8 children, died after the tourist boat Wonder Sea capsized in #HaLongBay amid Storm #Wipha’s torrential winds & rain. 11 survivors rescued, several still missing.#VietnamTragedy #BoatCapsize #WonderSea pic.twitter.com/gIH151zRjS

— Alma Angeles (@AlmaANET25) July 20, 2025

Here's what happened:

National Public Radio (NPR) reports that a thunderstorm came out of nowhere on Saturday, complicating the boats journey.

Per the outlet:

A boat carrying tourists capsized during a sudden thunderstorm in Vietnam on Saturday afternoon during a sightseeing excursion, killing 34 people, state media reported. Eight others remain missing.

According to the outlet, the vessel - known as The Wonder Sea boat - "was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members — all of them Vietnamese — during the tour of Ha Long Bay, a popular destination for visitors."

The outlet explains, "The boat turned upside down because of strong winds, the newspaper said." Other reports indicate that the area was also experiencing heavy rainfall and lightning, and that, when the boat capsized, its GPS signal was lost, which complicated rescue efforts.

The navy was immediately deployed to the area, and rescue efforts commenced. As we will see, they were not entirely unsuccessful. Some of the passengers were saved.

11 survivors

The Daily Mail reports that there were 11 survivors.

Per the outlet:

Rescuers have so far rescued 11 people and recovered 27 bodies, eight of them children, according to local news site VNExpress . . . A 14-year-old boy was among the survivors, and he was rescued four hours after being trapped in the overturned hull.

There have been reports published indicating that 12 people who were on board the ship had been rescued. But, those reports have been revised, citing local authorities, indicating that the true figure is 11 survivors. It remains unclear, however, what condition these survivors are in.

It is also unclear whether all of the people who were on the boat have been accounted for. Reports indicate that most of the passengers were tourists, but details about these tourists, such as their nationalities, have not, at the time of this writing, been released to the public.

The Daily Caller reports:

The ship was issued a certificate of technical safety and environmental protection for inland waterway vessels in January 2025, according to VNExpress. It was built in 2015 and is licensed to carry 48 passengers.