On Saturday afternoon, Wonder Seas, a tourist excursion boat, capsized in Ha Long Bay, in Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province, around 100 miles east of Hanoi, after encountering a sudden storm. State media reported that at least 35 people have died, including 8 children. The boat had 46 Vietnamese tourists and three crew members aboard when it capsized. Four are still missing.

Navy divers were deployed to help with the search, which was hampered by rough seas, strong winds and heavy rains. At least 10 people were rescued, and the capsized vessel was salvaged and towed ashore, Viet Nam News reported.

The incident occurred as Typhoon Wipha, a severe tropical storm, approached the region, and is expected to bring heavy rain and dangerous weather conditions to Vietnam’s northern provinces and coastal region.

Ha Long Bay is famed for its limestone caves and white sand beaches. The UNESCO World Heritage site attracted around 2.6 million tourists in 2023, according to Vietnam’s tourism agency.

Thanks to Alaric Bond for contributing to this post.