A speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and four Vietnamese crew members capsized near Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, on Saturday afternoon. The vessel overturned shortly after departing Hon May Rut Ngoai island, resulting in 15 deaths. The bodies were being transported back to India on Monday via flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Mumbai, with remains being distributed to the victims’ home states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala.
The group had been traveling as part of a company trip organized by Lava International, a smartphone and consumer electronics manufacturer headquartered in Uttar Pradesh. According to authorities, the boat’s captain, Nguyen Hong Hai, 57, is currently under investigation for alleged violations of waterway transport safety regulations. Sixteen survivors were released from hospitals and returning to India, though one person remained in critical condition following the incident.
Accounts from survivors describe the accident unfolding rapidly during stormy weather. A businessman who survived recounted how a large wave struck the vessel, causing panic among passengers as the boat rocked violently in rough waters before capsizing. He reported that rescue teams arrived within minutes and pulled survivors from the water. One 49-year-old survivor transferred to Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City was treated for severe lung damage, shock, multiple injuries, and brain bleeding following near-drowning.
The incident occurred approximately 10 kilometers south of Phu Quoc, a major beach destination known for white sandy shores and clear waters that attracts millions of tourists annually. India represents one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing tourism markets.
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