Bodies of Victims Moved to Ho Chi Minh City for Repatriation
The Indian Embassy in Hanoi confirmed on Sunday that the mortal remains of 15 Indian tourists who died in a speedboat accident off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island have been transported to Ho Chi Minh City. After completion of formalities, the bodies will be flown to India at the earliest. The embassy said it is closely coordinating with Vietnamese authorities, who are committed to providing all assistance for the earliest transportation of the remains.
Survivors Return Home, One in Critical Condition
According to the Indian mission, 16 of the 17 rescued Indian tourists have been discharged from hospital and are on their way back to India. One survivor, who remains in critical condition, is still hospitalized at Phu Quoc Hospital. The embassy stated, 'We continue to pray for the early recovery of the one survivor at Phu Quoc Hospital.'
Details of the Accident
The speedboat, carrying 32 Indian tourists and four local crew members, capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai off Phu Quoc Island on Saturday. Fifteen Indian tourists were killed, while the others were rescued. The tourists were returning from an island visit when the boat overturned about 400 metres off the island. Nearby tourist boats rushed to pull passengers from the water, and border guards, the navy, the coast guard, and other forces joined the search-and-rescue operation. Eyewitnesses reported that some passengers were trapped inside the overturned boat, complicating rescue efforts.
Victims Identified from Three Southern States
Of the 15 victims, 10 were from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and two from Kerala. Two of the deceased were women. The embassy released a list identifying the deceased: from Tamil Nadu — Senthil Kumar Jayavel, Muruga Prabhu Arumugam, Sridhar Sundararajan, Shaik Abdullah Abdul Majeed, Balaji Natesan, Vinaya Kumar Chithirapuram Bhaskara, Ravisankar Sugumaran, Santosh Kumar Shantilaljain, Babu Kuppuswamy, and Alagurajan Sivasamy; from Andhra Pradesh — Nallapeta Adiseshaiah Raviteja, Sreedhar Mudiam, and Jaya Lakshmi Gelli; from Kerala — Avicot Cheriyan Thomas and Loveni Thomas. The governments of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala have issued helpline numbers to assist relatives.
Investigation Ordered by Vietnamese PM
The exact cause of the accident has not yet been determined. Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has ordered an investigation into the incident and directed authorities to hold those responsible accountable, according to local media reports. Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island, is a popular tourist destination known for its white-sand beaches, coral reefs, and island-hopping excursions.
