What We Know About The Vietnam Boat Tragedy That Killed 15 Indian Tourists

At least 15 Indian tourists, including people from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, were killed after a speedboat carrying 36 people capsized near Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island on Saturday. As rescue operations concluded with 21 survivors, the Telangana government, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Embassy in Vietnam stepped up efforts to assist the victims and their families.

What happened near Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island?

According to Vietnamese newspaper VN Express, the speedboat, operated by Ocean Pear Island Company, was ferrying tourists from Hon May Rut Islet to An Thoi Port, around 25 kilometres from Phu Quoc Airport, when it overturned on Saturday afternoon, throwing everyone on board into the sea.

Vietnamese authorities confirmed that 15 people — 13 men and two women — lost their lives in the accident.

Arja Srikanth, Special Commissioner, AP Bhavan, New Delhi, said Vietnamese authorities had confirmed the deaths of 15 Indian tourists. He also identified two victims from Andhra Pradesh as Gelli Jayalakshmi from Machilipatnam and Mudium Sridhat from Kadapa.

According to VN Express, nearby tourist boats rushed to the accident site after spotting the capsized vessel. One of the rescuers said his boat reached the location within five minutes, but rescue efforts were complicated because several passengers were trapped inside the overturned vessel.

By Saturday evening, all 36 people on board had been brought ashore. Twenty-one survived, while 15 were confirmed dead.

How are Indian authorities responding?

Expressing shock over the tragedy, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy directed officials to coordinate with the MEA and the Indian Embassy in Vietnam to expedite relief measures.

According to the Telangana Chief Minister's Office, Reddy instructed the Chief Secretary to gather complete details of the incident and hold discussions with the MEA and embassy officials to ensure prompt assistance.

Noting preliminary reports that tourists from the Telugu states were among those affected, the Chief Minister directed officials to ensure the injured receive necessary medical treatment. He also assured that the Telangana government would extend all possible support to the bereaved families.

Union Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar also expressed grief over the tragedy.

"The loss of lives of Indians in the tragic boat mishap near Phu Quoc, Vietnam, is heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and the survivors recovering from injuries. Indian diplomatic missions are actively assisting those affected and maintaining constant contact with local officials to manage the situation," Kumar posted on X.

What has the Indian Embassy in Vietnam said?

The Embassy of India in Vietnam said that, according to official information, 32 Indian tourists were on board the boat that capsized near Phu Quoc Island.

"As per information received from official sources, the following 32 Indian tourists were onboard the boat which capsized near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam a few hours ago," the Embassy said in a post on X.

Besides the 32 Indian tourists, the boat also had three crew members and one flight attendant on board.

Earlier, the Embassy confirmed the accident and announced that a control room had been established at the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City to assist affected families.

"In a tragic incident, a boat carrying several Indian tourists capsized near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam a few hours ago. Exact details of the incident are being ascertained as search and rescue operations by local authorities are ongoing," the Embassy said.

The Embassy added that the control room in Ho Chi Minh City can be reached at +84 36 281 7930, +84 91 552 3714 and +84 33 452 0414. Another control room has also been established in Hanoi and can be contacted at +84 91 308 9165 for assistance and queries.

(With inputs from ANI)