Silent before 4 portraits of a family in the Halong Bay boat accident

In the living room are four memorial portraits of a couple and their two children who perished in the boat capsizing incident. Many visitors couldn’t hold back their tears.

A somber atmosphere enveloped the entrance to Vinh Ninh village (Dai Thanh commune, Hanoi) on July 20—nearly a day after the tourist boat capsized in Halong Bay.

On the temporary altar, four memorial portraits of Mr. N.H.T.’s (born 1973) family stood side by side, with incense smoke curling upward. The cries of family members moved even the strongest visitors to tears.

Mr. N.H.T., Mrs. T.T.N. (born 1974), and their three children had taken a weekend trip to Halong Bay (Quang Ninh). On July 19, they were among nearly 50 passengers aboard the Vinh Xanh 58 boat.

However, a sudden violent storm cut their journey short, sinking the boat into the deep sea. Of the family of five, only one survived.

By the morning of July 20, nearly a day after the incident, the bodies of the four victims were brought back to their hometown for funeral arrangements according to local customs. Their son, P. (born 2007), remained hospitalized in Quang Ninh.

As if out of tears, the relatives of the four victims silently gazed at each other and then at the portraits of the deceased.

Ms. An (a close friend of Mrs. N.) had red, swollen eyes and repeatedly burst into tears while looking at the four portraits placed side by side.

Wiping away tears, she shared that she had known Mrs. N. for over a decade. Though not blood-related, they had always supported each other through hardships, treating one another like sisters.

Just recently, they had exchanged messages. Little did she know that the next morning would bring tragic news.

“I was in complete disbelief until I saw footage of the family on the sinking boat in Halong Bay,” Ms. An said.

According to her, Mrs. N. and her husband had a loving relationship. Mr. T. worked as a driver, while Mrs. N., due to poor health, took on lighter jobs to supplement their income.

Financially strained, especially after Mrs. N.’s diagnosis, the family struggled with medical expenses while raising three school-aged children.

“I’d never known them to travel before. This trip was likely a gift for their son after his university entrance exams. But who could have imagined…” Ms. An said, her voice breaking.

With reddened eyes, Mr. Dung (Mr. T.’s older brother) lit incense and sat quietly in a corner, ignoring the occasional visitors paying respects.

Throughout the funeral, Mr. Dung spoke little. The loss was too immense—his younger brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews gone “too suddenly.” Even now, he struggles to accept the reality.

“I deeply thank the authorities and rescue teams who worked tirelessly day and night to find the victims and support our family,” he expressed.

By the afternoon of July 20, funeral arrangements for Mr. T.’s family were completed.

Earlier that morning, local officials and community representatives visited the family to offer condolences and assist with burial preparations.

The commune authorities provided 20 million VND to cover funeral expenses and pledged to report to the city for further support policies, including long-term assistance for P., the sole survivor.

A tropical convergence zone combined with intense heat triggered a superstorm with winds up to level 10 in Quang Ninh, causing the Halong Bay tour boat to capsize. Meteorological experts confirmed this was unrelated to Typhoon No. 3.