The bodies of all 15 Indian tourists killed when their speedboat capsized off southern Vietnam on Saturday have been returned home, arriving in Mumbai on July 13 and distributed to three states the following day, officials confirmed.
Four bodies reached Chennai and six arrived in Coimbatore on Tuesday morning for the 10 victims from Tamil Nadu. Three bodies from Andhra Pradesh were flown to Hyderabad, while the two Kerala victims were sent to Thiruvananthapuram. One injured survivor remains hospitalized in Vietnam.
Vietnamese authorities detained Captain Nguyen Hong Hai, 57, from An Giang province, for alleged legal violations connected to the disaster. Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hun ordered a comprehensive probe into the tragedy, directing officials to identify shortcomings, determine direct and indirect causes, implement corrective measures, and take strict legal action against violators of regulations. He also instructed authorities to mobilize medical resources to treat the injured, minimize further loss of life, and provide support to bereaved families.
Disaster Struck Minutes After Departure
The speedboat flipped Saturday afternoon near Hon May Rut Ngoai Island off Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew members on an island-hopping excursion between destinations famed for white-sand beaches and clear waters. The vessel overturned roughly 1,310 feet from shore around 1 p.m., less than a third of a mile from land.
Ashish Kumar, an Indian witness, told The Associated Press over the phone that the boat had barely traveled any distance before it tipped over, and that survivors screamed for help. Nearby boats immediately rushed to the rescue, he said, “but by then it was too late.”
Border guards and the navy eventually saved 21 people. Two women and 13 men died. Kumar said three of his friends were on the boat. Two of them died, he said, and the third was reported to be in critical condition.
Rescue Teams Battled Rough Conditions
Tourist boats nearby raced toward the capsized vessel after spotting it, and crew members pulled passengers from the water. One boat owner who arrived approximately five minutes after the capsizing reported that only a few survivors were conscious when rescued. Strong winds and waves battered rescue boats, and witnesses said some passengers were trapped inside the overturned hull. The turbulent water conditions and numerous victims trapped below deck significantly hindered rescue operations.
Footage broadcast on Vietnamese television showed rough seas and gusting winds as rescue teams hurled life buoys to people struggling in the water. Jet skis ferried survivors back to the beach, where onlookers provided first aid. Kumar said there was no emergency medical care available on the shore when survivors were first brought back, a detail that underscored how quickly the ordinary rhythms of a holiday collapsed into tragedy.
All of the bodies were recovered, and the injured were taken to hospitals. The cause of the capsizing remains unclear, and investigators have opened a probe into the incident.
Corporate Outing Ends in Tragedy
At least some of the passengers were on a corporate tour organized by their employer, a maker of smartphones and other electronics. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the passengers had been participating in an annual corporate gathering organized by a mobile phone manufacturer.
Lava International, which manufactures smartphones and consumer electronics in India, reported that several of its staff members and business partners were victims of the incident. The company said its immediate priority was to extend all possible support to those affected and their families.
The Indian Embassy in Vietnam said the 15 who died came from three southern states: 10 from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala.
Officials Coordinate Response Across Nations
Modi offered his sympathies to the victims’ families and announced on social media that Indian Embassy personnel were delivering comprehensive support, adding that embassy officials were on the scene. The embassy in Vietnam described the incident as “tragic” and said the exact details were still being ascertained as local search and rescue operations continued. It launched two control rooms to help families and loved ones affected by the disaster.
Authorities in Telangana set up a control room to coordinate assistance and pass information to grieving families. The Tamil Nadu chief minister urged Indian authorities to help the victims and to ensure that the bodies of those killed are returned home as soon as possible.
Prime Minister Le Minh Hun further called for a comprehensive assessment of maritime and waterway safety protocols throughout the region.
Popular Destination Sees Surge in Indian Visitors
Phu Quoc, in the Gulf of Thailand, ranks among Vietnam’s most popular beach destinations. Hon May Rut Island lies about six miles south of it. The islands are renowned for pristine coastlines and transparent tropical waters, attracting countless visitors from Vietnam and abroad annually.
Vietnam has experienced remarkable growth in Indian tourism, welcoming roughly 750,000 Indian visitors in 2025, representing nearly a 50% increase over 2024. Experts credit this boom to improved air connectivity linking key cities in both nations and to simplified visa regulations — factors that have made trips like Saturday’s outing increasingly common, and made the loss of life all the more wrenching.
