Vietnam Boat Tragedy: Witness Says Vessel Capsized 300 Metres from Shore
A boat carrying Indian tourists capsized off an island in southern Vietnam on Saturday, barely 300 to 400 metres from the shore, according to an Indian witness. The incident occurred around 1:30 pm local time near Hon May Rut Ngoai island, leaving 15 Indian tourists dead, as per Vietnamese media reports.
Ashish Kumar, a 48-year-old mobile phone distributor from Andhra Pradesh's Guntur, was part of a company outing organised by Lava International. He told PTI that tourists were divided into batches and ferried between islands. One of three boats, carrying 32 Indian tourists, had just left the island when it suddenly overturned.
"The boat had gone barely 300 to 400 metres when it tipped over. We were taking pictures and it happened before we could react," Kumar said. He described screaming for help and noted that weather conditions were not adverse, with only some wind typical of an island.
Rescue teams arrived quickly and brought survivors and bodies back to shore, but Kumar claimed no medical teams were immediately available to administer CPR. "We are all in a state of shock," he said, adding that a friend's wife died in the incident while her husband is hospitalised.
The speedboat also had four crew members on board. Lava International expressed deep sadness and confirmed that those involved included its channel partners and team members. The company stated it is in constant contact with the Indian Embassy in Vietnam and local authorities, providing support to affected families.
The group has since returned to their hotel. The Indian embassy has not yet issued an official statement on the incident.
