Fifteen Indian tourists died when a large boat capsized near Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, on Saturday. According to the Indian Embassy in Vietnam, there were 32 Indians on board the boat. Vietnamese news portal VN Express International reported that the boat capsized about 400 meters from Hoan Me Rut Ngoi, an island in the An Thoi archipelago off the coast of Phu Quoc. Actually, ‘Hon Mae Rut Ngoi’ island located in the Gulf of Thailand attracts many tourists for boat tours. This island is located about 10 kilometers or 6 miles south of Phu Quoc, the largest island of Vietnam.
According to Vietnamese media VnExpress, a senior communist official, Nguyen Tien Hai, said that the speedboat may have capsized due to strong winds and high waves. According to reports, while the relief work was going on, strong winds were seen blowing in the sea on Vietnamese TV and rescue teams were trying to save people who had fallen in the water. People were also brought back to shore with the help of jet skis, while people present on the beach gave first aid to the victims.
Eyewitness described the scene of the accident
At the same time, Ashish Kumar, an eyewitness to this accident, told the Associated Press on phone that ‘the boat had not gone even half a kilometer when it suddenly overturned. Then we shouted, help, help. He told that nearby boats immediately left for rescue, but by then it was too late. Ashish said that when the survivors were brought back to the shore, there was no emergency medical facility available.
Nearby boat people were the first to start rescue operations.
Other witnesses told VnExpress that nearby boats had reached the scene before border guards, navy, coast guard and other rescue agencies could arrive and began pulling tourists out of the water. According to the report of VNExpress, this rescue operation was a bit difficult, because many people were trapped inside the boat.
Embassy released the list of dead
The Indian Embassy in Vietnam has confirmed that out of the total dead, 10 people were residents of Tamil Nadu, 3 people were from Andhra Pradesh and 2 people were from Kerala. The embassy has also released the list of those who died, which includes 13 men and 2 women.
It is with profound grief that we share the list of 15 Indian nationals who have lost their lives in the tragic boat accident near Phuc Quoc Island today. The list has been received from the Vietnamese authorities.
Our prayers are with the families of the deceased.
The Embassy pic.twitter.com/2fr2TjXuPp
— India in Vietnam (@AmbHanoi) July 11, 2026
Lava Mobiles employees also among the dead
After this incident, Lava Mobiles said that some of its employees were also among the Indian tourists killed in Vietnam. The company said in a statement on social media platform X (Twitter), ‘We are deeply saddened to learn about the tragic boat accident that occurred in Vietnam today. Some of our channel partners and team members are involved in this incident. The company further said, ‘Our first priority is to provide all possible help to the affected people and their families. Our teams in India and Vietnam are in regular touch with the families and are providing all possible help.
Vietnamese PM ordered investigation
According to reports, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has ordered an investigation to find out the cause of the accident and has directed officials to bring the culprits to justice. Minh Hung also directed officials to review waterways and maritime security in the area where the boat capsized, as well as other similar areas.
PM Modi and President expressed grief over the incident
Expressing grief over this incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he is deeply saddened by this tragedy. He wrote on Twitter, ‘My heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. My prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured survivors. Our Embassy and Consulate are providing all possible assistance. Our officials are also in constant touch with Vietnamese authorities. At the same time, President Draupadi Murmu has also expressed grief over the death of Indian tourists.
Also read: Why is Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island the favorite place of Indians? Where 15 lives were lost in the sea
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