International Desk : At least 34 people have died and eight are still missing after a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam`s popular Ha Long Bay.

The accident occurred on Saturday (July 19) afternoon when the boat overturned amidst severe weather, including thunderstorms and strong winds.

Various international media outlets reported the incident, citing the Vietnamese newspaper VNExpress.

According to the VNExpress report, the boat was carrying 53 people – 48 passengers and five crew members – all of whom were Vietnamese.

So far, 11 individuals have been rescued alive, and 34 bodies have been recovered. Search and rescue operations are ongoing for the eight missing people.

The report also stated that among the 11 survivors is a 14-year-old boy who was trapped inside the overturned vessel for four hours before being rescued.

The majority of the passengers were families from the capital city of Hanoi, including over 20 children.