1 hour ago
Fifteen Indian tourists killed in the Phu Quoc speedboat capsize are being moved to Ho Chi Minh City for repatriation. The Indian mission is working with Vietnamese authorities as survivors return home and the probe continues.
Hanoi,UPDATED: Jul 12, 2026 14:36 IST
The bodies of the 15 Indian tourists killed in a speedboat accident off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island are being taken to Ho Chi Minh City before being flown to India, the Indian mission in Hanoi said on Sunday. Sixteen of the 17 survivors are on their way home, while one remains in critical condition in hospital in Phu Quoc.
The accident took place on Saturday when a speedboat carrying 32 tourists from India and four local crew members capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai off Phu Quoc Island. Fifteen people died and the others were rescued.
In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi said, "The mortal remains of the 15 Indian nationals who tragically passed away in yesterday's boat accident are being transported to Ho Chi Minh City and will reach there by this evening." It added, "After completion of formalities at Ho Chi Minh the mortal remains would be transported to India at the earliest."
The embassy said its teams were closely coordinating with the Vietnamese authorities, who have assured all assistance for the earliest transportation of the bodies to India.
Of the 15 victims, 10 were from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala. According to a list shared by the embassy, two of the deceased were women.
The deceased from Tamil Nadu were identified as Senthil Kumar Jayavel, Muruga Prabhu Arumugam, Sridhar Sundararajan, Shaik Abdullah Abdul Majeed, Balaji Natesan, Vinaya Kumar Chithirapuram Bhaskara, Ravisankar Sugumaran, Santosh Kumar Shantilaljain, Babu Kuppuswamy and Alagurajan Sivasamy.
The deceased from Andhra Pradesh were identified as Nallapeta Adiseshaiah Raviteja, Sreedhar Mudiam and Jaya Lakshmi Gelli. Those from Kerala were identified as Avicot Cheriyan Thomas and Loveni Thomas.
The governments in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have issued helpline numbers to assist relatives of the affected persons.
Earlier on Sunday, the embassy said 16 of the 17 surviving tourists had been discharged from hospital and were heading back to India. In another post on X, it said, "After obtaining medical treatment, 15 survivors of yesterday's tragic boat accident have been discharged from hospital and are travelling back to India." It added, "Of the two patients in critical care, one has been discharged and is travelling back to India. The other is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Phu Quoc."
The embassy said teams from the mission and the consulate were in Phu Quoc to provide any assistance needed.
Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island, is a major tourist destination. The tourists were reportedly returning from an island visit when the boat capsized about 400 metres off Hon May Rut Ngoai, part of the An Thoi archipelago off the coast of Phu Quoc.
The exact cause of the accident is yet to be established. Local media reported that Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has ordered an investigation and directed authorities to hold those responsible accountable. The focus now remains on bringing the bodies back to India and helping the survivors return home.
With PTI Inputs
- Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Jul 12, 2026 14:36 IST
