Fifteen Indian tourists were killed on Saturday afternoon when a speedboat returning from a trip on an island off the southern coast of Vietnam capsized shortly after leaving Hon My Rout Ngoi, near the resort island of Phu Quoc, authorities and witnesses said. Twenty-one people were rescued.
The Associated Press news agency quoted authorities as saying that the ship was carrying 32 Indian tourists and a crew of four when it capsized. All the dead were recovered. The wounded were transferred to hospitals. The Indian Embassy in Vietnam said that the 15 dead were 13 men and two women, all of them Indian citizens.
The 32 tourists on board were part of a larger group of Indian dealers, distributors and employees of Lava Mobiles, a maker of smartphones and consumer electronics, on a motivational tour organized by the company for channel partners who achieved sales targets, Lava and the families of those killed told HT.
Read also| Vietnam Boat Tragedy: An incentive tour for Lava Mobiles employees turns fatal for 15 Indians
Lava confirmed in a statement that 14 channel partners and one member of its staff were among those killed, and said it was in “close and constant contact” with the Indian embassy and local authorities to facilitate “the return of human remains as soon as possible.”
Of the 15 dead, 10 were from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala, according to their state governments and the embassy.
Accounts differed about how the accident occurred. Ashish Kumar, an Indian tourist who witnessed the capsize, told the Associated Press that the boat did not go far when it capsized, and that the passengers screamed for help. He added that nearby boats rushed to the rescue, “but by then it was too late.” Kumar said there was no emergency medical care available at the beach when the survivors were brought back. Three of his friends were on the boat. He added that two died and the third was in critical condition.
The boat had gone about two kilometers into the sea when it was hit by a large wave and tilted to the right, throwing the passengers on top of each other, Murugaraj, a survivor from Tamil Nadu, told HT. “We couldn’t handle the pressure as the ship capsized. Somehow, we managed to get out the window and cling to the railing,” he added, adding that rescue teams reached them within five minutes.
Vietnamese news website VN Express quoted eyewitnesses as saying that some people were trapped inside the capsized boat. Vietnamese television footage showed rough waves and strong winds as rescue teams threw lifebuoys to those in the water and jet skis ferried survivors to shore, the Associated Press reported.
Phu Quoc, in the Gulf of Thailand, is one of the most popular beach destinations in Vietnam. Hon May Rut is about 10 km to the south. India is among Vietnam’s fastest-growing tourism markets, with the number of Indian arrivals in 2025 reaching around 750,000, up nearly 50% from the previous year, on the back of expanding direct flights and a liberal e-visa policy, official Vietnamese figures cited by news agencies show.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung ordered an investigation and ordered authorities to hold those responsible accountable and review the safety of waterways and seaways in the region, the news agency reports said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply saddened” by the incident and said in a post on X that the Indian embassy and consulate were providing all possible assistance and were in close contact with Vietnamese authorities. President Draupadi Murmu and Vice President CB Radhakrishnan also expressed their grief and offered their condolences to the bereaved families.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ordered the officials to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy on relief and repatriation. Naidu said 33 people from Andhra Pradesh traveled to Vietnam on this tour, and 19 of them were on the boat when it capsized. The Indian Embassy confirmed the deaths of AC Thomas, 57, and his wife Loveni Thomas, 56, both from Kottarakkara, the Kerala Chief Minister’s Office said.
