15 Indians killed as tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam

FIfteen native american tourists were killed on sabbatum afternoon when a speedboat reverting from an island trip up away Vietnam’s southern coast capsized shortly after leaving Hon May Rut Ngoai island, near the resort island of Phu Quoc, authorities and witnesses said. Twenty-one people were rescued.The vessel was carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew when it overturned, news agency AP quoted authorities as saying. All the dead were recovered; the injured were taken to hospitals. The Embassy of India in Vietnam said the 15 dead comprised 13 men and two women, all Indian nationals.The 32 tourists on board were part of a larger group of Indian dealers, distributors and staff of Lava Mobiles, the smartphone and consumer electronics maker, on an incentive tour organised by the company for channel partners who had met sales targets, Lava and families of the dead told HT.Also Read| Vietnam boat tragedy: Incentive tour for Lava Mobiles staff turns fatal for 15 IndiansIn a statement, Lava confirmed that 14 of its channel partners and one member of its own staff were among the dead, and said it was in “close and continuous contact” with the Indian Embassy and local authorities to facilitate “the earliest possible repatriation of the mortal remains.”Of the 15 dead, 10 were from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala, according to their state governments and the embassy.Accounts of how the accident unfolded varied. Ashish Kumar, an Indian tourist who witnessed the capsize, told AP that the boat had not gone far when it tipped over, and that passengers screamed for help. Nearby boats rushed to the rescue, “but by then it was too late,” he said. Kumar said no emergency medical care was available on the shore when survivors were brought back. Three of his friends were on the boat; two had died and the third was critical, he said.Murugaraj, a survivor from Tamil Nadu, told HT the boat had gone about 2 km out to sea when a large wave hit and it tilted to the right, throwing passengers on top of one another. “We could not handle the pressure as the ship was overturning. Somehow, we managed to get out through the window and grabbed onto the railings,” he said, adding that rescue teams reached them within five minutes.VN Express, a Vietnamese news site, quoted witnesses as saying some people were trapped inside the capsized boat; Vietnamese television footage showed rough seas and strong winds as rescue teams threw life buoys to those in the water, and jet skis ferried survivors to shore, AP reported.Phu Quoc, in the Gulf of Thailand, is one of Vietnam’s most popular beach destinations; Hon May Rut lies about 10 km to its south. India is among Vietnam’s fastest-growing tourism markets, with about 750,000 Indian arrivals in 2025, up nearly 50% from the previous year, on the back of expanding direct flights and a liberal e-visa policy, official Vietnamese figures cited by news agencies show.Vietnam’s Prime Minister Le Minh Hung ordered an investigation and directed authorities to hold those responsible accountable, and to review waterway and maritime safety in the area, according to news agency reports.Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “extremely saddened” by the accident and, in a post on X, said the Indian Embassy and Consulate were providing all possible assistance and were in close contact with the Vietnamese authorities. President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President C P Radhakrishnan also expressed grief and offered condolences to the bereaved families.Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu ordered officials to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian embassy on relief and repatriation. Naidu said 33 people from Andhra Pradesh had travelled to Vietnam on the tour, of whom 19 were on the boat when it capsized. Kerala’s chief minister’s office said the Indian Embassy had confirmed the deaths of A C Thomas, 57, and his wife Loveni Thomas, 56, both from Kottarakkara.