Tragedy in Halong Bay: A Dark Turn of Events

In a tragic incident in Vietnam's Halong Bay, a sudden thunderstorm capsized a boat on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of at least 35 people. Authorities and rescue teams are relentlessly searching for four individuals who still remain unaccounted for.

The incident unfolded under otherwise calm weather, just before the anticipated landfall of Typhoon Wipha, which threatens to bring additional adverse weather conditions to northern Vietnam and Hong Kong. In the aftermath, officials revised the number of passengers down to 49 from 53 initially reported aboard the ill-fated tour boat, all of whom were Vietnamese tourists.

This misfortune ranks among the worst accidents to occur in the UNESCO-listed Halong Bay area, a major tourist hub consisting of thousands of limestone islands. The abrupt weather shift affected Hanoi as well, diverting flights and halting departures at the Noi Bai International Airport. The rapid darkening of skies and felled trees underscore the storm's severity.

(With inputs from agencies.)