HÀ NỘI — Quảng Ninh provincial police are working with local authorities to investigate the sudden death of a Taiwanese (Chinese) tourist who collapsed while having a buffet breakfast aboard the Paradise Elegance QN8866 cruise ship during a tour of Hạ Long Bay on Friday.

Bãi Cháy Hospital in Hạ Long City confirmed that a foreign tourist had died on June 27 outside the hospital after abruptly losing consciousness, suspectedly due to choking on a food item.

According to the hospital, at around 9:26am, it received a report of a foreign national losing consciousness while having a buffet on a tourist vessel. An emergency response team was immediately dispatched to the pier to assist the victim.

By approximately 9:50am, as the ship docked, the emergency team reached the patient, who was receiving basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The victim’s oropharyngeal region was found to contain a large amount of food and digestive fluids, and her carotid pulse was faint.

Recognising the severity of the situation, the emergency team proceeded with chest compressions, airway clearance and control, and promptly transported the patient to Bãi Cháy Hospital.

However, during transit, the patient experienced cardiac arrest. The team continued CPR en route.

At the hospital, doctors initiated advanced resuscitation measures, but after roughly 75 minutes of emergency efforts, the patient showed no return of spontaneous circulation. Doctors were forced to pronounce the patient dead, with no signs of recovery, and confirmed death occurred outside the hospital.

According to the Quảng Ninh Department of Tourism, the tourist was Ms Huang Hsiu H., 67, a Taiwanese national. The incident occurred aboard the Paradise Elegance QN8866 while it was en route back to Tuần Châu Port.

Bãi Cháy Hospital has reported the case to Giếng Đáy Ward Police in Hạ Long City to coordinate handling in accordance with procedures for foreign nationals who die in Việt Nam. The victim’s body has been transferred to the Hạ Long City Funeral Home for further processing in line with legal regulations. — VNS