New Delhi: In a tragic accident, 15 Indian tourists, including two women and 13 men, lost their lives after their speedboat capsized near Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island.
The speedboat was carrying a total of 32 Indian tourists along with four crew members. Among the tourists, 10 were from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and two from Kerala.
According to e.vnexpress.net, the speedboat was transporting the tourists from Hon May Rut Islet to An Thoi Port, about 25km from picturesque Phu Quoc Airport. Nearby tourist boats that witnessed the tragedy immediately joined the rescue operation.
Rescuers brought all 36 people on board the speedboat to shore. Twenty-one people survived the accident.
Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng expressed deep sorrow over the incident and called for immediate measures to deal with the tragedy.
He directed local ministries, agencies, and authorities to provide all necessary assistance to the injured Indian tourists.
The PM also instructed the Ministry of Public Security to investigate the accident and determine its cause.
Separately, the Embassy of India in Vietnam and the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City said in a Facebook post that they were extending all possible assistance to the affected Indian nationals and their families.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the accident, according to an official statement.
In a post on X, he conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured survivors.
“Extremely saddened to learn about the tragic news of a boat accident involving Indian nationals near Phu Quoc, Vietnam. My sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. My prayers for the early recovery of the injured survivors. Our Embassy and Consulate are providing all possible assistance. Our officials are also in close contact with the Vietnamese authorities,” he said.
President Droupadi Murmu also expressed grief over the accident.
“Saddened by the news of a boat accident in Vietnam in which many Indian nationals lost their lives. My deep condolences to the grieving families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” she said in a post on X.
