At least 34 people have been confirmed dead while more than a dozen remain missing after a passenger boat capsized in Ha Long Bay, northern Vietnam, due to severe weather conditions.
According to initial reports, most of the passengers were families on vacation from the capital city, Hanoi. The Vietnamese Border Guards stated that the vessel was carrying 53 individuals when it encountered a powerful storm that caused it to overturn.
Eleven survivors have been rescued from the sea so far, while search and rescue operations continue despite the ongoing bad weather, which remains a major challenge for authorities.
Residents near the site reported that as early as 2 p.m., the skies had already darkened, accompanied by heavy rain and large hailstones, some reportedly as big as a thumb.
Authorities are racing against time to locate the missing as harsh weather continues to hamper rescue efforts in the area.
