The Indian survivor of a boat tragedy near Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island has described how the tourist vessel capsized in seconds during a sudden storm, and has stated that while rescue teams responded quickly, inadequate medical facilities on the nearby island hindered efforts to save more lives.
Nirmal Kumar, one of the survivors, told ANI that the speedboat was carrying 32 Indian tourists out of a total of 36 people on board when it was struck by rough weather. The boat was traveling from one island to another when conditions deteriorated abruptly.
Survivor Recounts Capsizing
"When we were moving from one island to the next island, a sudden storm came...suddenly within a second, the boat was going upside down," Kumar said. "We were on the front side and came out by jumping into the sea. Those who were inside got trapped, and since the boat was upside down, they were unable to come outside the boat."
He noted that the boat carried 32 passengers, but the total number of people on board was 105. The Indian Embassy in Vietnam later confirmed that all 15 people killed in the accident were Indian tourists.
Medical Facilities Lacking
Kumar highlighted that the local rescue force acted promptly to pull survivors from the water. However, he said that medical equipment on the island was insufficient for the number of casualties. "A doctor was travelling with us. He said that medicines are not available here, so we cannot save the lives...more lives could have been saved. Requisite aid wasn't available at the island for the number of people needing it," he added.
The Vietnam Air Force arrived after two to three hours and provided guidance and treatment, according to Kumar.
Investigation Underway
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the circumstances that led to the tragic accident near Phu Quoc Island, a popular tourist destination. The Indian Embassy has been providing assistance to the affected families and coordinating with local officials.
