Speedboat capsizes off Phu Quoc, killing 15 Indian tourists
Vietnamese authorities said 21 people were rescued after the boat overturned near a popular island destination south of Phu Quoc.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
2 min read
Fifteen Indian tourists died after a speedboat overturned near Phu Quoc island in southern Vietnam, Vietnamese authorities said Saturday. The accident adds to safety concerns in a country whose coastal tourist routes draw large numbers of visitors.
Authorities said the vessel was carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew members when it capsized. They said 21 people were rescued, and injured survivors were taken to hospital.
The cause of the accident has not been determined, according to officials. Search and rescue work was continuing, India’s embassy in Hanoi said in a statement.
Local media reported that the speedboat had departed Hon May Rut Ngoai island after noon Saturday and was headed back to An Thoi International Port when it overturned. The accident happened about 400 metres, or roughly a quarter of a mile, from the tourist site, according to those reports.
VN Express reported that boats nearby reached the scene first and began pulling passengers from the water before Vietnamese border guards, navy personnel and the coastguard arrived. Witnesses told the news site that rescuers worked to recover people from the water and tried to revive victims at the scene.
The rescue was difficult because many of the victims were caught inside the vessel, VN Express reported. Photos circulating on social media appeared to show rescuers removing people from the water, though officials had not released a full account of the operation.
India’s embassy in Hanoi said it had opened control rooms in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to help coordinate with the families of those affected. The embassy said officials were still working to establish the exact details of what happened.
Phu Quoc sits in the Gulf of Thailand and is one of Vietnam’s best-known beach destinations. Hon May Rut Island lies about 10 kilometres south of Phu Quoc, and both areas are popular with visitors drawn to beaches and clear coastal waters.
Vietnam has seen deadly tourist boat accidents before. 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 maritime disasters, according to reports at the time.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.