Two British tourists killed as boat capsizes

Two British tourists were killed after a pleasure boat showcasing one of Vietnam's leading natural attractions overturned in a violent storm.

A French man and at least one Vietnamese are also among the dead, while many other passengers have been treated for shock and hypothermia. The boat sank in heavy winds as it was returning to port at Halong Bay, 100 miles east of the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, on Thursday evening.

Carrying 25 tourists and seven crew members, the boat is believed have encountered sharp winds and heavy rain. According to a French survivor, the boat contained around 30 people including tourists from South Africa, Japan and Australia

British Embassy officials travelled to the bay, located in the Gulf of Tonkin some 100 miles east of the capital, Hanoi, to help officials confirm the identify of the two Britons which have not yet been released.