On the afternoon of 19/7, the Wonder Sea (also known as Vinh Xanh 58) carrying 53 passengers capsized due to strong winds and rough seas. The incident resulted in 34 deaths, 8 missing persons, and 11 survivors. Later that evening, numerous users shared videos on social media with captions like "Close-up of the tragic boat capsizing in Quang Ninh on 19/7" and "Tourist boat sinking in Quang Ninh".

However, many people quickly realized these videos were clickbait. Some footage was taken during Typhoon Yagi and showed a luxury overnight cruise ship, not a smaller day-trip vessel like the Vinh Xanh 58. Other videos depicted a boat sinking in Congo in 10/2024, which resulted in at least 78 deaths.

In the comments sections of these videos, many unaware users questioned why such a large vessel could capsize so easily and raised concerns about safety and shipbuilding standards.

A fanpage posted a video of a boat sinking during Typhoon Yagi but captioned it as the 19/7 capsizing. Screenshot.

A representative from the Quang Ninh Department of Tourism acknowledged awareness of the false videos being circulated by individuals and fan pages regarding the 19/7 incident.

"Many discerning individuals will recognize these as fake, but in the current circumstances, such misinformation creates public confusion and negatively impacts the image of local tourism," the representative stated, adding that they would report the matter to authorities for action against those responsible.

Pham Ha, Chairman of Lux Group, which operates luxury cruises in Lan Ha bay and Nha Trang, noted the potential impact of these misleading videos on tourist sentiment. For instance, using images of a luxury overnight cruise ship sinking during Typhoon Yagi could lead to negative perceptions of boat quality in Ha Long bay.

"Large overnight vessels have high stability and balance; they don't capsize easily," Ha said.

A video of a boat sinking in Congo was misrepresented as the 19/7 capsizing by a user. Screenshot.

An owner of a luxury cruise ship in Ha Long bay explained that the Vinh Xanh was a small, flat-bottomed, multi-story vessel stable in calm waters. However, in strong winds, such a boat is more susceptible to capsizing compared to larger overnight ships.

This individual emphasized that the false information in this sensitive context could easily unsettle customers. Their sales team has been instructed to reassure clients with concerns about vessel safety.

The Vinh Xanh 58 was towed ashore and righted in the early morning of 20/7. Photo: *Navy*.

According to Bui Thanh Tu, Marketing Director of Best Price, the false videos are negatively impacting Ha Long bay tourism.

"Many people unable to distinguish fact from fiction will generalize about the quality of all boats," Tu said, predicting difficulties in selling Ha Long bay cruises in the near future.

Hoai Anh