Kerala couple's mortal remains back home after Vietnam boat tragedy
The mortal remains of two Keralites who died in a boat tragedy in Vietnam arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday morning.
The bodies of A C Thomas (57) and his wife Loveni Thomas (56), residents of Kottarakkara, were transported to the state capital by air from Mumbai. After completion of official formalities at the airport, the coffins were handed over to family members and will be taken by ambulance to their hometown.
Teary-eyed relatives gathered at the cargo area as the coffins were received. Kerala Ministers P C Vishnunadh and C P John, along with Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh, were present to pay their respects by placing wreaths.
The accident occurred on Saturday when a speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew members capsized about 400 metres off Hon May Rut Ngoai island in the An Thoi archipelago, near Phu Quoc, Vietnam. According to Vietnamese media reports, 15 Indian tourists lost their lives in the incident.
The bodies were flown from Mumbai to Thiruvananthapuram on an Air India flight. The state government had made arrangements for the swift repatriation of the remains.
