
Deadly Vietnam tour boat survivor describes his escape
At least 38 people were killed in the accident and a search is continuing for five who are still missing, according to Vietnamese state media.
The Wonder Sea embarked early Saturday afternoon for a three-hour excursion in the popular bay, carrying 48 passengers and five crew.
Tuan said the passengers asked for the boat to turn back to shore, but the crew reassured them they were almost at their destination and kept the boat moving forward.
"It rained for about 15 minutes, and then the boat started to shake vigorously, tables and chairs were jostled around and seconds later the boat overturned," the 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman said.
"Water gushed in and I lost all orientation.
"I tried to breathe. But more water came in. I took a deep breath, got rid of my life vest and dove down.
"I saw a streak of light and followed it to swim out, escaping the boat, and then I climbed on the overturned boat to look for help," he said.
Tuan and three others survived by clinging to the capsized boat and its propellers, waiting another two hours until the rain stopped and rescuers arrived.
Rescue workers saved 11 people, but one died in hospital due to injuries, VNExpress newspaper said.
The boat turned upside down because of strong winds, the newspaper said.
A 14-year-old boy was rescued after four hours trapped in the overturned hull.
The newspaper said most of the passengers were tourists from Hanoi, including about 20 children.
Tuan was a holiday with 11 university friends, only three of whom survived.
Tuan has only minor cuts, but one of his friends suffered multiple head injuries and the other's tendons were cut by broken glass as he escaped the boat through a window.
The other nine members of the group were killed, including one who was travelling with his wife and three-year-old son. The wife and child were also drowned.
A tropical storm is also moving toward the area.
A national weather forecast said Storm Wipha was expected to hit Vietnam's northern region next week, including Ha Long Bay's coast.
A Vietnamese man who survived the capsizing of a tour boat in Ha Long Bay has described his escape from the overturned vessel.
At least 38 people were killed in the accident and a search is continuing for five who are still missing, according to Vietnamese state media.
The Wonder Sea embarked early Saturday afternoon for a three-hour excursion in the popular bay, carrying 48 passengers and five crew.
Tuan said the passengers asked for the boat to turn back to shore, but the crew reassured them they were almost at their destination and kept the boat moving forward.
"It rained for about 15 minutes, and then the boat started to shake vigorously, tables and chairs were jostled around and seconds later the boat overturned," the 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman said.
"Water gushed in and I lost all orientation.
"I tried to breathe. But more water came in. I took a deep breath, got rid of my life vest and dove down.
"I saw a streak of light and followed it to swim out, escaping the boat, and then I climbed on the overturned boat to look for help," he said.
Tuan and three others survived by clinging to the capsized boat and its propellers, waiting another two hours until the rain stopped and rescuers arrived.
Rescue workers saved 11 people, but one died in hospital due to injuries, VNExpress newspaper said.
The boat turned upside down because of strong winds, the newspaper said.
A 14-year-old boy was rescued after four hours trapped in the overturned hull.
The newspaper said most of the passengers were tourists from Hanoi, including about 20 children.
Tuan was a holiday with 11 university friends, only three of whom survived.
Tuan has only minor cuts, but one of his friends suffered multiple head injuries and the other's tendons were cut by broken glass as he escaped the boat through a window.
The other nine members of the group were killed, including one who was travelling with his wife and three-year-old son. The wife and child were also drowned.
A tropical storm is also moving toward the area.
A national weather forecast said Storm Wipha was expected to hit Vietnam's northern region next week, including Ha Long Bay's coast.
A Vietnamese man who survived the capsizing of a tour boat in Ha Long Bay has described his escape from the overturned vessel.
At least 38 people were killed in the accident and a search is continuing for five who are still missing, according to Vietnamese state media.
The Wonder Sea embarked early Saturday afternoon for a three-hour excursion in the popular bay, carrying 48 passengers and five crew.
Tuan said the passengers asked for the boat to turn back to shore, but the crew reassured them they were almost at their destination and kept the boat moving forward.
"It rained for about 15 minutes, and then the boat started to shake vigorously, tables and chairs were jostled around and seconds later the boat overturned," the 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman said.
"Water gushed in and I lost all orientation.
"I tried to breathe. But more water came in. I took a deep breath, got rid of my life vest and dove down.
"I saw a streak of light and followed it to swim out, escaping the boat, and then I climbed on the overturned boat to look for help," he said.
Tuan and three others survived by clinging to the capsized boat and its propellers, waiting another two hours until the rain stopped and rescuers arrived.
Rescue workers saved 11 people, but one died in hospital due to injuries, VNExpress newspaper said.
The boat turned upside down because of strong winds, the newspaper said.
A 14-year-old boy was rescued after four hours trapped in the overturned hull.
The newspaper said most of the passengers were tourists from Hanoi, including about 20 children.
Tuan was a holiday with 11 university friends, only three of whom survived.
Tuan has only minor cuts, but one of his friends suffered multiple head injuries and the other's tendons were cut by broken glass as he escaped the boat through a window.
The other nine members of the group were killed, including one who was travelling with his wife and three-year-old son. The wife and child were also drowned.
A tropical storm is also moving toward the area.
A national weather forecast said Storm Wipha was expected to hit Vietnam's northern region next week, including Ha Long Bay's coast.
A Vietnamese man who survived the capsizing of a tour boat in Ha Long Bay has described his escape from the overturned vessel.
At least 38 people were killed in the accident and a search is continuing for five who are still missing, according to Vietnamese state media.
The Wonder Sea embarked early Saturday afternoon for a three-hour excursion in the popular bay, carrying 48 passengers and five crew.
Tuan said the passengers asked for the boat to turn back to shore, but the crew reassured them they were almost at their destination and kept the boat moving forward.
"It rained for about 15 minutes, and then the boat started to shake vigorously, tables and chairs were jostled around and seconds later the boat overturned," the 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman said.
"Water gushed in and I lost all orientation.
"I tried to breathe. But more water came in. I took a deep breath, got rid of my life vest and dove down.
"I saw a streak of light and followed it to swim out, escaping the boat, and then I climbed on the overturned boat to look for help," he said.
Tuan and three others survived by clinging to the capsized boat and its propellers, waiting another two hours until the rain stopped and rescuers arrived.
Rescue workers saved 11 people, but one died in hospital due to injuries, VNExpress newspaper said.
The boat turned upside down because of strong winds, the newspaper said.
A 14-year-old boy was rescued after four hours trapped in the overturned hull.
The newspaper said most of the passengers were tourists from Hanoi, including about 20 children.
Tuan was a holiday with 11 university friends, only three of whom survived.
Tuan has only minor cuts, but one of his friends suffered multiple head injuries and the other's tendons were cut by broken glass as he escaped the boat through a window.
The other nine members of the group were killed, including one who was travelling with his wife and three-year-old son. The wife and child were also drowned.
A tropical storm is also moving toward the area.
A national weather forecast said Storm Wipha was expected to hit Vietnam's northern region next week, including Ha Long Bay's coast.

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Wipha lashes Vietnam with strong winds and heavy rain
Tropical Storm Wipha made has landfall in northern Vietnam, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the country's north and central regions. The storm came ashore with sustained winds of 64-102km/h and gusts up to 138km/h, according to local weather officials. After landfall, Wipha began moving southwest. Wipha was classified as a typhoon on Monday while over open water, but weakened overnight and was downgraded to a tropical storm before reaching land. The storm knocked out power in parts of Hung Yen Province, east of Hanoi. Residents rushed to petrol stations to buy fuel for generators, state media reported. The streets of Hanoi were nearly empty as the storm moved inland. Most businesses were closed and the city government has advised residents to stay home and evacuate buildings that are unstable or in flood-prone areas. "If the storm is serious, people shouldn't go out anyway because it would be dangerous on the road and there is also a chance of flooding," said Minh Doan, a taxi driver in Hanoi. Flights were cancelled across northern Vietnam, and airports in the port city of Hai Phong and Quang Ninh province were closed. Nearly 150,000ha of aquaculture farms and more than 20,000 floating fish cages are at risk from flooding and strong winds, according to state media. Vietnam has warned of flooding as heavy rain from Storm Wipha moves inland. At least three people died in the Philippines after Wipha struck the north of the country without making landfall last Friday. More than 80,000 people remain in emergency shelters after floods, landslides and tidal surges over the weekend. Most government offices and schools in Manila and 10 provinces were shut on Tuesday due to widespread flooding from heavy monsoon rains, and troops evacuated residents from villages swamped by knee- to waist-deep water while the coast guard deployed buses and boats to assist stranded commuters. with AP Tropical Storm Wipha made has landfall in northern Vietnam, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the country's north and central regions. The storm came ashore with sustained winds of 64-102km/h and gusts up to 138km/h, according to local weather officials. After landfall, Wipha began moving southwest. Wipha was classified as a typhoon on Monday while over open water, but weakened overnight and was downgraded to a tropical storm before reaching land. The storm knocked out power in parts of Hung Yen Province, east of Hanoi. Residents rushed to petrol stations to buy fuel for generators, state media reported. The streets of Hanoi were nearly empty as the storm moved inland. Most businesses were closed and the city government has advised residents to stay home and evacuate buildings that are unstable or in flood-prone areas. "If the storm is serious, people shouldn't go out anyway because it would be dangerous on the road and there is also a chance of flooding," said Minh Doan, a taxi driver in Hanoi. Flights were cancelled across northern Vietnam, and airports in the port city of Hai Phong and Quang Ninh province were closed. Nearly 150,000ha of aquaculture farms and more than 20,000 floating fish cages are at risk from flooding and strong winds, according to state media. Vietnam has warned of flooding as heavy rain from Storm Wipha moves inland. At least three people died in the Philippines after Wipha struck the north of the country without making landfall last Friday. More than 80,000 people remain in emergency shelters after floods, landslides and tidal surges over the weekend. Most government offices and schools in Manila and 10 provinces were shut on Tuesday due to widespread flooding from heavy monsoon rains, and troops evacuated residents from villages swamped by knee- to waist-deep water while the coast guard deployed buses and boats to assist stranded commuters. with AP Tropical Storm Wipha made has landfall in northern Vietnam, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the country's north and central regions. The storm came ashore with sustained winds of 64-102km/h and gusts up to 138km/h, according to local weather officials. After landfall, Wipha began moving southwest. Wipha was classified as a typhoon on Monday while over open water, but weakened overnight and was downgraded to a tropical storm before reaching land. The storm knocked out power in parts of Hung Yen Province, east of Hanoi. Residents rushed to petrol stations to buy fuel for generators, state media reported. The streets of Hanoi were nearly empty as the storm moved inland. Most businesses were closed and the city government has advised residents to stay home and evacuate buildings that are unstable or in flood-prone areas. "If the storm is serious, people shouldn't go out anyway because it would be dangerous on the road and there is also a chance of flooding," said Minh Doan, a taxi driver in Hanoi. Flights were cancelled across northern Vietnam, and airports in the port city of Hai Phong and Quang Ninh province were closed. Nearly 150,000ha of aquaculture farms and more than 20,000 floating fish cages are at risk from flooding and strong winds, according to state media. Vietnam has warned of flooding as heavy rain from Storm Wipha moves inland. At least three people died in the Philippines after Wipha struck the north of the country without making landfall last Friday. More than 80,000 people remain in emergency shelters after floods, landslides and tidal surges over the weekend. Most government offices and schools in Manila and 10 provinces were shut on Tuesday due to widespread flooding from heavy monsoon rains, and troops evacuated residents from villages swamped by knee- to waist-deep water while the coast guard deployed buses and boats to assist stranded commuters. with AP Tropical Storm Wipha made has landfall in northern Vietnam, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the country's north and central regions. The storm came ashore with sustained winds of 64-102km/h and gusts up to 138km/h, according to local weather officials. After landfall, Wipha began moving southwest. Wipha was classified as a typhoon on Monday while over open water, but weakened overnight and was downgraded to a tropical storm before reaching land. The storm knocked out power in parts of Hung Yen Province, east of Hanoi. Residents rushed to petrol stations to buy fuel for generators, state media reported. The streets of Hanoi were nearly empty as the storm moved inland. Most businesses were closed and the city government has advised residents to stay home and evacuate buildings that are unstable or in flood-prone areas. "If the storm is serious, people shouldn't go out anyway because it would be dangerous on the road and there is also a chance of flooding," said Minh Doan, a taxi driver in Hanoi. Flights were cancelled across northern Vietnam, and airports in the port city of Hai Phong and Quang Ninh province were closed. Nearly 150,000ha of aquaculture farms and more than 20,000 floating fish cages are at risk from flooding and strong winds, according to state media. Vietnam has warned of flooding as heavy rain from Storm Wipha moves inland. At least three people died in the Philippines after Wipha struck the north of the country without making landfall last Friday. More than 80,000 people remain in emergency shelters after floods, landslides and tidal surges over the weekend. Most government offices and schools in Manila and 10 provinces were shut on Tuesday due to widespread flooding from heavy monsoon rains, and troops evacuated residents from villages swamped by knee- to waist-deep water while the coast guard deployed buses and boats to assist stranded commuters. with AP


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