Overview

• On July 19 at 12:55 p.m. local time, the tourist boat Wonder Sea overturned in Ha Long Bay due to sudden high winds and torrential rain.
• The vessel, carrying 48 tourists and five crew members, lost its GPS signal at 2:05 p.m., prompting an emergency response.
• Authorities assembled a force of roughly 300 personnel with 27 boats and two rescue launches, retrieving 11 survivors and 34 bodies.
• Search teams are working through the night despite forecasts for an approaching tropical storm.
• The prime minister has directed the defense and public security ministries to escalate search efforts and vowed to investigate any safety protocol violations.