Body of six-year-old in Ha Long boat incident found
So far, the maritime disaster has claimed the lives of 36 people, with 10 survivors rescued and three individuals still missing.
Rescuers search for missing people in the tragic capsizing of the Vinh Xanh 58 tourist boat on July 19 in Ha Long Bay, the northeastern province of Quang Ninh. (Photo: tienphong.vn)
Quang Ninh (VNA) – Rescue teams on July 21 morning recovered the body of a six-year-old boy, one of the last four remaining victims unaccounted for following the tragic capsizing of the Vinh Xanh 58 𒀰tourist boat on July 19 in Ha Long Bay, the northeastern province of Quang Ninh.
According to the provincial People's Committee, the boy’s body was found near Ti Top Island during an expanded search operation. The child had been travelling with his family as part of an eight-member group. His mother and two other relatives died in the incident. After the body was brought ashore, it was transferred to a medical facility for necessary post-mortem procedures.
So far, the maritime disaster has claimed the lives of 36 people, with 10 survivors rescued and three individuals still missing. Search and rescue operations are continuing under difficult conditions, as Quang Ninh also braces for the arrival of Typhoon Wipha, the third of its kind to enter East Sea so far this year.
Vinh Xanh 58, registration number QN-7105, departed from the Ha Long International Passenger Port in Bai Chay ward at around 1:30pm on July 19 with 49 people on board, including 46 passengers and three crew members.
It was en route along Tour Route 2 of Ha Long Bay when it was hit by a sudden, violent thunderstorm near Dau Go Cave.
The storm capsized the boat within a few minutes, plunging dozens of passengers into the sea. Emergency response teams and local residents quickly mobilised in a race to rescue survivors.
Authorities continue to expand the search radius and deploy drones and divers as they work urgently to find the remaining missing individuals./.
The Vietnam Red Cross Society Central Committee on July 20 decided to allocate 215 million VND (over 8,200 USD) from its disaster relief fund to assist the victims and their families.
The boat, carrying 46 tourists and three crew members, was struck by an unexpected thunderstorm while on a sightseeing tour to Sung Sot Cave and Titop Island.
The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting predicted continued showers and thunderstorms across the Gulf of Tonkin and northern and central of the East Sea, including the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, starting on July 20.
In line with national efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and to address the EU’s “yellow card” warning, 100% of fishing vessels in Gia Lai province over 15 metres in length are now equipped with VMS devices.
On July 24, following a directive of the Ministry of National Defence, the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army dispatched a working group to the locality to coordinate emergency aid efforts in areas cut off by floodwaters.
The assistance reflects the spirit of solidarity and shared responsibility between localities, in line with Hanoi’s long-standing commitment for the whole nation.
The committee has committed nearly 650 million VND (24,870 USD) in aid for flood-hit residents. This includes 200 million VND in cash for families who suffered fatalities, injuries, or significant losses of homes, livelihoods, and food; and hundreds of relief boxes.
Upon receiving information from local police, the Consulate General swiftly launched the necessary moves. The victims were confirmed to be Vietnamese nationals - Nguyen Duy Quang and Nguyen Quang Minh, who both died, and Hoang Trung Hieu, who remains in critical condition.
PM Pham Minh Chinh stressed that natural disaster prevention and response forms a vital part of national defence, especially for Vietnam, a country vulnerable to natural disasters.
The course has attracted over 60 participants from provinces and cities across China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Shandong, and Nanning. They are divided into two classes - one for learners with prior knowledge of Vietnamese and another for beginners.
The MoU focuses on promoting the AVCK's community-centred initiatives across multiple sectors including culture, sports, education, and welfare programmes. Both parties pledged to work closely to ensure meaningful, sustainable, and impactful activities for the sustainable development of the Vietnamese community in the host nation.
More than 100 overseas Vietnamese youths from 31 countries and territories participated in a mother tongue exchange programme themed “continuing the story of peace” on the evening of July 23 in the central province of Nghe An, as part of the Vietnam Summer Camp 2025.
Two helicopters were deployed, transporting tens of tonnes of essential items such as foods, water, medicine, and life jackets to Muong Xen, Muong Tip, Nhon Mai, My Ly, and Bac Ly communes.
The Supreme People’s Procuracy has announced that its investigative agency has issued an indictment against Pham Tan Hoang, former Deputy Chief Justice of the High People’s Court in Da Nang (now the Appellate Court of the Supreme People’s Court in the city), on charges of “taking bribes” under Clause 2, Article 354 of the Penal Code.
As the passengers’ condition failed to improve, the captain decided to divert the aircraft to Da Nang International Airport in central Vietnam for profesional medical attention as soon as possible.
Deputy PM Mai Van Chinh made an inspection tour of Con Cuong commune, one of the hardest-hit areas, where he was informed that flooding has submerged 24 hamlets, 10 of which was completely cut off and five partially isolated, with no casualties reported.
Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga, spouse of National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man, expressed her hope that Vietnam and Senegal will strengthen cooperation to share experiences in protecting disadvantaged people and those with disabilities.
Provincial authorities attributed the programme’s success to strong coordination across political and community levels, with widespread contributions from officials, residents, and donors both within and outside Ca Mau.
In an urgent dispatch issued on July 23, PM Pham Minh Chinh instructed the ministers of national defence, public security, agriculture and environment, finance, industry and trade, and construction, as well as chairpersons of the people’s committees of Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Bac Ninh, Lang Son, Phu Tho, Thai Binh provinces and Hanoi city to conduct thorough damage assessments and provide accurate reports on the flooding’s impact.
Despite many support policies, Vietnam has met just 22.6% of its 2025 goal to build 100,000 social housing units. A 5.7 billion USD credit package remains largely undisbursed.
President Cuong stressed that over the past 78 years, especially during nearly four decades of renewal, the Party and State have issued numerous preferential policies for revolution contributors, and these policies have continually been improved.
