Fifteen Indian tourists who perished in a speedboat accident off southern Vietnam were being repatriated Monday, with remains transported from Ho Chi Minh City to Mumbai. The speedboat, carrying 32 Indian tourists and four Vietnamese crew members, capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai island adjacent to Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, on Saturday afternoon shortly after departing the area. The incident occurred in waters approximately 10 kilometers south of Phu Quoc, a major beach destination known for its white sandy beaches and clear waters.
Victims included ten residents from Tamil Nadu state, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala. The group had been traveling as part of a corporate trip organized by Lava International, a consumer electronics and smartphone manufacturer based in Uttar Pradesh, for employees, distributors and retail partners. Authorities stated that the boat’s captain, Nguyen Hong Hai, 57, is under investigation for alleged violations of waterway transport safety regulations.
According to survivor accounts, the disaster unfolded rapidly when a storm struck the vessel and a large wave crashed into it, causing panic among passengers. Nirmal Kumar, a 44-year-old businessman aboard the boat, described violent rocking in rough seas before the capsizing occurred. He noted that rescue teams arrived within five minutes and extracted survivors from the water. Sixteen survivors were released from the hospital, though one 49-year-old man remained in critical condition Monday, having sustained severe lung damage from near-drowning, shock, multiple injuries and brain bleeding. Medical personnel reported improvement in his blood pressure and oxygen levels following transfer to Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.
India represents one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing tourism markets, with the Southeast Asian nation attracting millions of domestic and international visitors annually to its beach destinations.
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