HA LONG BAY – A Vietnamese man who survived the capsizing of a tour boat in Ha Long Bay 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.
On a Saturday afternoon, the Wonder Sea set off on a planned three-hour journey through a frequently visited bay, with 48 passengers and a crew of five on board. However, a storm soon overtook the sky, bringing strong winds and heavy rain, as reported by survivor Dang Anh Tuan to The Associated Press.
Tuan mentioned that the passengers requested to return to shore, yet the crew assured them they were nearing their destination and continued forward.
“The rain lasted about 15 minutes, and soon after, the boat began shaking violently, causing tables and chairs to shift, and moments later, it capsized,” described the 36-year-old fire extinguisher salesman. “Water rushed in, and I completely lost my bearings.”
“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 on to the capsized boat and its propellers, waited out another two hours until the rain stopped and rescued 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 that 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 injuries in his head 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 traveling with his wife and 3-year-old son. The wife and child were also drowned.
A tropical storm is also moving toward the area. A national weather forecast said that Storm Wipha is expected to hit Vietnam’s northern region next week, including Ha Long Bay’s coast.
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AP writer Huy Han contributed to this report.
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