Boy Survives Vietnam Tourist Boat Tragedy That Killed Dozens by Hiding in Air Pocket
A 10-year-old boy has miraculously survived the sinking of a tourist boat in Vietnam’s renowned Ha Long Bay, which claimed dozens of lives, by taking shelter in an air pocket inside the overturned vessel.
The child had been traveling with his family when their boat was caught in a sudden storm and capsized. Trapped underwater, he discovered an air pocket where he remained until rescuers arrived.
Rescue teams eventually found him with no major physical injuries, though he was in a state of emotional distress. He was given immediate care and transferred to a nearby hospital, according to VietnamNet. “Everything happened so fast,” the boy recounted. “I tried to get out, and then the soldiers rescued me.”
Search and rescue operations are still underway for the remaining missing passengers and crew after the sightseeing vessel Wonder Sea capsized during a sudden squall on Saturday. However, efforts have been hindered by ongoing poor weather conditions.
As of Monday, at least 36 people have been confirmed dead, according to state media. Vietnam News Agency reported that the boat was carrying 53 passengers and crew at the time of the incident. Ten people have been rescued, while three remain unaccounted for.
On Monday, rescue teams recovered the body of a six-year-old boy who had been traveling with his family, according to the state-run Vietnam News Agency. The child’s body was discovered near a nearby island, VNA reported, citing local authorities.
Another survivor, 36-year-old Vietnamese man Dang Anh Tuan, recounted how he managed to escape the overturned vessel by removing his life jacket and swimming through an underwater window.
Tuan, a fire extinguisher salesman, described the terrifying moment the boat capsized amid rough weather, giving passengers barely any time to react.
“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,” he told the Associated Press.
Tuan said the boat filled with water so quickly that he lost all sense of direction. “I tried to breathe, but more water rushed in. I took a deep breath, ditched my life vest, and dove down. I saw a streak of light and followed it, swimming out to escape the boat. Then I climbed onto the overturned hull to look for help,” he recalled.
Tuan, along with several other survivors, clung to the overturned vessel in heavy rain for nearly two hours before rescue teams arrived. He had been vacationing in Ha Long Bay with 11 university friends—only three of them survived. According to VN Express, the Wonder Sea was caught in a violent storm around 1:30 p.m. local time (2:30 a.m. ET), which caused the vessel to capsize.
Most of the passengers were residents of Hanoi, traveling with their families. The outlet reported that the oldest passenger was 53 years old, while the youngest was just 3. More than 20 children were aboard the boat at the time of the incident.
The capsize occurred near Dau Go Cave, one of the largest and most well-known caves in Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a major tourist destination, famed for its striking seascape of around 1,600 limestone islands and islets.
