Vietnam speedboat capsizing kills 15 Indian tourists

Fifteen Indian tourists died after a speedboat capsized in rough seas off southern Vietnam, trapping many passengers inside the vessel as nearby boats raced to pull people from the water.

Local authorities said the boat was carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew members when it overturned on Saturday about 400 metres, or a quarter of a mile, from Hon May Rut Ngoai island, a popular stop for island-hopping tours near Phu Quoc. Twenty-one people were rescued, and injured survivors were taken to hospital, Al Jazeera reported.

The Indian embassy in Vietnam called the incident “tragic” and said it had set up telephone hotlines and control rooms in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to provide information and assistance to affected families. It also published the full list of the 32 Indian nationals who were on board.

“Exact details of the incident are being ascertained,” the embassy said in a statement cited by Al Jazeera.

Local media reported that the speedboat had left Hon May Rut Ngoai after noon and was returning to An Thoi International Port when it capsized. Several tourist vessels operating nearby quickly joined the rescue effort, according to Vietnam’s VnExpress. Witnesses told the news site that nearby boats began pulling passengers out before Vietnamese border guards, navy and coastguard personnel arrived.

Many victims were trapped inside the speedboat, complicating the rescue, VnExpress reported. Social media photos appeared to show rescuers pulling victims from the water and attempting to revive them, according to Al Jazeera.

Nguyen Tien Hai, a senior Communist official in the area, said authorities were still working to confirm the exact number of dead and survivors. He was quoted by VnExpress as saying the boat may have capsized because of heavy winds and high waves, while Al Jazeera reported that the cause of the accident was not yet known.

“The top priority is rescue, bringing all victims ashore and focusing all efforts on providing emergency care to those who are still alive,” Hai said.

Hon May Rut Ngoai is part of the An Thoi Archipelago in the Gulf of Thailand, about 10km, or six miles, south of Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island. The area is known for white sand beaches and clear green waters and draws tourists from around the world for boat tours.

The accident comes a year after another major tourist boat disaster in Vietnam. Last July, the tourist boat Wonder Sea capsized in Ha Long Bay during a thunderstorm, killing 39 people in one of the country’s deadliest sea accidents, Al Jazeera reported.