FIFTEEN Indian tourists were killed after a speedboat they were travelling in capsized off Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island on Saturday, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi said. There were 36 people - 32 Indian tourists and four local crew members on board. Of them, 21 were rescued. The Vietnam Government ordered an immediate investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident. Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, is a major tourist destination, known for its white-sand beaches, coral reefs and island-hopping excursions. The tourists in this case were reportedly returning from an island trip. The speedboat capsized about 400 metres off Hon May Rut Ngoai, an island in the An Thoi archipelago off the coast of Phu Quoc, Vietnamese news portal VN Express International reported. The report said nearby tourist boats rushed to pull passengers from water before the Border Guards, the Navy, the Coast Guard and other forces joined the search-and-rescue operation. It also quoted eyewitnesses saying some of the passengers were trapped inside the overturned boat, which made rescue difficult.

 

The bodies of all the deceased tourists have been recovered, according to local media reports. Of the 15 victims, 10 were from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two were from Kerala. Two of the deceased were women, according to a list shared by the Indian Embassy in Hanoi on X. The Indian Embassy and Consulate in Vietnam are providing all possible assistance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X. “Extremely saddened to learn about the tragic news of a boat accident involving Indian nationals near Phu Quoc, Vietnam,” PM Modi said. “My sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. My prayers for the early recovery of the injured survivors. Our Embassy and Consulate are providing all possible assistance. Our officials are also in close contact with the Vietnamese authorities,” he added. President Droupadi Murmu said in a social media post, “Saddened by the news of a boat accident in Vietnam in which many Indian nationals lost their lives. My deep condolences to the grieving families. I pray for speedy recovery of the injured.” Political leaders, cutting across party lines, from all over India took to social media to express their condolences over the incident.

 

The governments in the three southern states have issued helpline numbers to assist relatives of the affected persons. “A big wave hit us, 20 people came out of it, and the balance members got stuck,” Nirmal Kumar, a survivor, told PTI Videos. “It’s a closed boat. Since we were in the front, we (Kumar and a friend) managed to survive. Others who were behind, got stuck. The boat authorities maintained proper safety measures,” he said. Television footage aired by Vietnamese media showed rough seas and strong winds as rescue teams threw life buoys to people in the water, AP news agency reported.