15 Indians Killed as Tourist Boat Capsizes Near Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island

A tourist speedboat capsized off the coast of Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam, killing 15 Indian nationals on Saturday afternoon, turning what was supposed to be a celebratory corporate reward trip into heartbreak.

The victims were part of a larger group of about 105 mobile phone distributors from South India on a business incentive tour.

The Accident off Hon May

The tourist speedboat AG 26751 of the Ocean Pearl Island Company was carrying 32 Indian passengers and four crew members to An Thoi Port around 1:00 PM local time after a regular island-hopping and snorkelling tour.

The ship was about 400 metres off the coast of May Rut Ngoai Island when it was struck by strong wind and fierce waves. Survivors say a giant wave struck the boat and capsized it, overturning it in seconds.

The local navy, border guard and coast guard arrived, but before them, tourist boats nearby raced to the site within five minutes to pull passengers from the water. But the rescue operation became a nightmare. The vessel had been sealed off entirely, and many of the passengers had been trapped within the overturned hull with little hope of escape.

Families Broken in South India

The crew was one of 21 of the 36 people on board who were rescued. Fifteen tourists (13 men and two women) died tragically.

The Indian Embassy in Vietnam released the names of the dead. The tragedy has hit close-knit communities across South India hard, as the incentive group was made up of regional sales hubs:

Tamil Nadu: 10 dead locals.

Andhra Pradesh: 3 dead.

Kerala: 2 dead, 4 injured in road mishap

Two survivors are in critical condition at a local provincial hospital, where intensive care teams are monitoring them for severe water inhalation and shock.

The Continuous Support Answer

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu expressed their grief over the accident. The Indian Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City have set up emergency control rooms to help the families.

The Indian Ambassador has flown to Phu Quoc Island to coordinate with the Vietnamese authorities and oversee the medical care of the survivors and accelerate the formal identification and repatriation processes to bring the victims home. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese government has launched a full investigation into maritime safety procedures and the exact reason for the capsize.