Vietnam, July 11: At least 15 Indian nationals lost their lives on Saturday when a sightseeing speedboat capsized in rough waters near Vietnam’s southern resort destination of Phu Quoc Island. The maritime disaster has triggered extensive local search operations and forced diplomatic missions to establish round-the-clock emergency assistance infrastructure.
The vessel was carrying a total of 36 passengers—including 32 tourists from India and four local crew members—when the hull inverted roughly 400 meters away from the coast of Hon May Rut Ngoai Island. Maritime rescue units, including the national coast guard, border security commands, and nearby private civilian vessels, launched immediate recovery operations, pulling 21 survivors from the sea.
The Indian diplomatic mission in Hanoi announced that emergency coordination frameworks are currently active across major consular zones to handle requests from grieving families. Specialized support lines have been brought online at the primary embassy headquarters in Hanoi and the Consulate General office in Ho Chi Minh City to coordinate repatriation and medical monitoring.
A senior diplomat from the Indian Embassy in Hanoi stated via an official channel that a tragic incident occurred when a boat carrying several Indian tourists capsized near Phu Quoc Island. The representative affirmed that exact details of the incident are being comprehensively ascertained by local authorities while field rescue efforts remain underway.
Eyewitness accounts provided to regional media indicated that the physical layout of the vessel hampered immediate civilian intervention. A local boat operator who participated in the initial emergency response declared that only a few people were pulled out conscious from the water. He maintained that several passengers remained trapped completely inside the overturned speedboat structure, which severely complicated initial rescue maneuvers.
The foreign ministry noted that official validation of individual identities will continue as local police wrap up forensic assessments. Indian representatives asserted that continuous monitoring will be maintained through direct cooperation with Vietnamese port controllers and coastal security chiefs until all survivors are accounted for.
