The death toll from a tourist boat accident in Vietnam's Halong Bay climbed to at least 38 with several people still missing, the government said, as rescuers continued to search for survivors while bracing for the approach of Typhoon Wipha.

Divers searched beneath the waves for missing passengers and crew after a sightseeing ship capsized in a squall in Halong Bay, a popular tourist destination in Vietnam, on Saturday. At least 34 bodies have been recovered and another 11 people have been rescued.