Vietnam Speedboat Capsize: Captain Held After 15 Indian Tourists Die
Vietnamese authorities have arrested the captain of a speedboat that overturned near Phu Quoc island, resulting in the deaths of 15 Indian tourists, officials confirmed on Sunday.
The accident occurred on Saturday when the vessel, carrying 32 Indian tourists, three Vietnamese crew members, and a tour guide, capsized in rough seas off May Rut Ngoai islet, according to state media reports.
Rescuers recovered 21 people, but 15 passengers were found dead, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported. Police in southern An Giang province stated that the 57-year-old captain was arrested for "violations of laws" leading to the incident.
Initial assessments by Vietnamese authorities suggest the capsizing was an unavoidable incident caused by extreme weather conditions that shifted rapidly, Tuoi Tre said. Witnesses reported high waves but no rain at the time, and other tourist boats were operating in the area.
One witness, Ha Van Loc, told VNExpress that he spotted the overturned vessel with about a dozen men clinging to its hull. Several people were drifting at sea and not wearing life jackets, he said. Loc and his crew threw lifebuoys with ropes to pull survivors aboard and called for additional help, with jet skis used to transport victims ashore.
The Indian embassy in Hanoi confirmed that at least 15 survivors have been discharged from hospital and were returning to India, while one critically injured person remains in a Phu Quoc hospital. The bodies of the deceased will be repatriated to India.
May Rut Ngoai, located south of Phu Quoc island, is known for its pristine waters and beaches, popular with tourists. Following the accident, several tourism companies suspended speedboat services between the islets.
Phu Quoc has seen a tourism boom, with over 1.8 million foreign visitors last year. Boating accidents are not uncommon in Vietnam, often linked to extreme weather, flooding, and inadequate maintenance.
