Packed tourist boat sinks in Vietnam bay; 12 die
HANOI, Vietnam - An overnight boat packed with sleeping tourists, including Americans, Australians and Britons, sank early on Thursday in Vietnam's scenic Ha Long Bay, killing 11 foreigners and their Vietnamese guide, officials said.
Nine foreign tourists and six locals were rescued from the chilly water by other tour boats anchored nearby. They were rushed to a hospital as teams scoured the area for more survivors. Those rescued reported seeing a plank of the wooden live-aboard ship ripping away, followed by gushing water inundating the boat and quickly pulling it down around 5 am near Titov Island, said Vu Van Thin, chief administrator of Quang Ninh province.
"Crew members tried to stop the water from coming in and alerted the tourists who were sleeping, but the water came in and the boat sank quickly," he said. "All of the 12 people who died were in the cabins."
