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🇮🇳 India /Disasters & Emergencies

‘We were taking pictures and…’: Vietnam boat accident survivors recall horror after tragedy kills 15 Indians

From Hindustan Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Fifteen Indian tourists, including 10 from Tamil Nadu, died when their boat capsized off Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam.
  • The trip was organized by mobile phone company Lava Mobiles as a reward for dealers and distributors.
  • Survivors described a large wave hitting the speedboat, causing it to overturn rapidly, while authorities are investigating the cause.

A tragic accident off the coast of Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island claimed the lives of 15 Indian tourists on Saturday when their speedboat capsized. Ten victims hailed from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and two from Kerala.

The excursion was reportedly organized by Lava Mobiles, a mobile phone company, as an incentive trip for dealers and distributors who met sales targets. The speedboat overturned approximately 400 meters from Hon May Rut Ngoai, an island within the An Thoi archipelago near Phu Quoc.

We could not handle the pressure as the ship was overturning. Somehow, we managed to get out through the window and grabbed onto the railings.

— MurugarajA survivor describing the moments the boat capsized.

Out of the 36 people on board, which included 32 Indian tourists and four local crew members, 21 individuals were successfully rescued. Survivors recounted the terrifying moments the boat overturned. Murugaraj, from Tamil Nadu, described a large wave striking the vessel, causing it to tilt and throw passengers into each other.

The incident happened around 1:30 pm local time. The boat had gone barely 300 to 400 metres when it tipped over. We were taking pictures, and it happened before we could react.

— Ashish KumarA survivor recounting the suddenness of the accident.

"We could not handle the pressure as the ship was overturning. Somehow, we managed to get out through the window and grabbed onto the railings," Murugaraj told HT, adding that rescue teams arrived within five minutes. Ashish Kumar, a 48-year-old mobile phone distributor from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, stated the incident occurred around 1:30 pm local time, shortly after the boat departed the island.

"We were taking pictures, and it happened before we could react," Kumar told PTI. Nirmal Kumar, another survivor from Tamil Nadu, suggested that high waves and potential overloading might have contributed to the speedboat capsizing within seconds. The Indian Embassy in Hanoi confirmed the fatalities, and the governments of the affected Indian states are coordinating with the central government for the repatriation of bodies and support for the grieving families. Lava Mobiles stated it is in continuous contact with authorities and assisting affected families.

The speedboat overturned within seconds due to high waves and possible overloading.

— Nirmal KumarA survivor suggesting potential causes for the capsizing.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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