Vietnam Boat Capsize: 15 Indian Tourists Dead, 21 Rescued; Embassy Releases Passenger List

At least 15 Indian tourists were killed and 21 others rescued after a speedboat carrying 32 Indian nationals and four Vietnamese crew members capsized near Phu Quoc Island in southern Vietnam on Saturday, according to Vietnamese state media. Two of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition.

The accident occurred approximately 400 metres off Hon May Rut Ngoai Island in the An Thoi archipelago, a popular destination for island-hopping tours. Vietnamese authorities have stated that strong waves and high winds likely contributed to the incident, though a full investigation into the cause is underway.

The Indian diplomatic missions in Vietnam have initiated an emergency response. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of Indian lives and confirmed that officials are in constant contact with Vietnamese authorities.

Vietnamese media outlets VN Express International and Viet Nam News reported that the speedboat capsized around 400 metres from Hon May Rut Ngoai Island. Nearby tourist boats were the first to reach the scene, followed by border guards, the Vietnamese Navy, the Coast Guard, and other emergency agencies.

News agency PTI, citing sources in the Andhra Pradesh government, reported that two people from Andhra Pradesh were among the deceased, and three others from the state were hospitalised. The sources identified the deceased as Jalalakshmi and Jayashree, both from Machilipatnam. Verification of the identities of other affected Indian nationals was ongoing.

The tour was organised by Vietnam-based Threeland Travel through local vendor Sai Vietnam. The Indian tourist group was reportedly associated with Lava Mobile.