Sole survivor: Waves capsized the ship within seconds

The only surviving crew member of the Blue Bay 58 was stunned after the accident. "The ship had only gone halfway when a storm suddenly arose. Within seconds, huge waves capsized the ship and everyone was drowned," said Tu.

Passengers asked to turn back, but the train continued.

Returning from the brink of death, Mr. Dang Anh Tuan (36 years old, residing in Hanoi ), currently being treated at the Department of Trauma - Orthopedics, Quang Ninh General Hospital, recounted the painful moment.

His group of 14 university friends rented the boat Vinh Xanh 58 to visit Ha Long Bay route 2. When the boat had just left the dock at around 1:30 p.m., the weather suddenly turned to heavy rain and strong winds. Fearful, many people in the group asked to return to shore, but the boat owner and crew assured them that "the first sightseeing spot is almost here."

Tourists said that when they saw the storm, everyone asked to return to shore but the captain still let the ship continue.

PHOTO: LA NGHI HIEU

As everyone was putting on life jackets as instructed, suddenly a big wave hit and caused the boat to capsize in an instant.

"There was only a small space left of air, I tried to take a deep breath and dived down. When I saw the light from the sea surface, I took off my life jacket to make it easier to swim and rushed in that direction to escape," Mr. Tuan choked.

He tried to save four more people, but only two survived. The other two victims did not survive, so he tied their bodies to the side of the ship and waited for rescuers to arrive. Only two people from his group survived.

Sole survivor: 'I'm lucky to be alive'

Mr. Vu Anh Tu (25 years old, residing in Ha An, Quang Ninh ), the only surviving crew member on the ship Vinh Xanh 58, is still in a daze after the accident.

"The boat was halfway through the journey when a storm suddenly arose. Within seconds, huge waves capsized the boat and everyone was drowned," said Mr. Tu.

The lucky crew member who survived the disaster is still in shock.

PHOTO: LA NGHI HIEU

His hand was torn from hitting hard objects, but he still tried to stay calm, diving to the surface of the water following the flickering light. Luckily, he grabbed onto a floating wooden chair.

"I can't imagine how I escaped, maybe I was just too lucky," he said through tears.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Hong Quan (39 years old, from Nghe An) was one of the few tourists who escaped. He said that while standing on the second floor deck, a big wave suddenly hit the ship. "Seawater flooded into the cabin, the deck was soaked, I was thrown and hit hard against something hard. My eyes went dark. I tried to hold my breath, dived towards the light and surfaced," Quan recalled.

Despite his injuries, he and a few others drifted, clinging to floating objects and trying to reach the nearest island. He was then brought ashore by fishermen and rescuers.

The moment of escape from disaster of victims in the capsized boat in Ha Long Bay

PHOTO: BPQN

As of this afternoon, July 20, authorities have rescued 10 people, found 35 bodies, and 4 people are still missing. Search efforts are still being urgently deployed before storm No. 3 makes landfall.

Speaking to Thanh Nien, Dr. Bui Manh Hung, Deputy Director of the Quang Ninh Province Department of Health, said that among the 10 rescued victims, there was a 10-year-old boy who lost his entire family in the boat capsize in Ha Long Bay. The boy was transferred to Hanoi for his relatives to take care of. The woman who was injured in the arm, who also lost her husband and 2 children, also asked to be discharged from the hospital to go home to prepare for the funeral.

"Up to now, 8 victims are being treated at medical facilities in Quang Ninh province and are receiving the best care. Everyone's health has improved and their psychology is more stable after the disastrous accident," Dr. Hung informed.

Close-up of the Green Bay cruise ship being towed back to shore, 46 people have been found

The accounts from surviving witnesses not only depict the severity of the accident, but also serve as a wake-up call for safety in water travel, especially in the context of increasingly unpredictable weather.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thuyen-vien-duy-nhat-con-song-sot-song-danh-lat-up-tau-trong-vong-vai-giay-185250720161000206.htm