Two people were killed when a raft with 17 people capsized during a storm in northern Vietnam.

The passengers were sailing through an oyster farming area when their wooden raft was struck by tall waves off Quang Ninh province on Sunday evening.

The locals screamed as the vessel overturned, throwing them into choppy seas.

Local authorities in the Dam Ha Commune launched a search after receiving a report at around 8 pm local time. Fifteen were rescued from stormy waters while two remained missing.

The Quang Duc Border Guard Station deployed a ship to aid in the search, which was hampered by severe weather and the low tide.

Officials said two bodies were found at 7 am on Monday.

The deceased were identified as Nong Thi Huyen, 41, and Tran Van Quan, 43, both residents of the Quang Ha Commune. They were taken to the Hai Ha Medical Center for post-mortem examination.

The Dam Ha Commune People's Committee said it was investigating the incident, which occurred while a tropical depression was moving into the Beibu Gulf.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said the weather system made landfall along Vietnam's northern coast today, lashing the region with heavy rain and strong winds.