15 killed as boat capsizes in Vietnam

15 Indian tourists have died in a severe speed boat accident near Phu Quoc Island in Southern Vietnam. Today, Saturday, July 11, 2026, this boat, which was returning to An Thoi port after an island tour, capsized in the sea about 400 meters from Hon Me Rut Ngoi Island due to strong winds and rough seas.

It has been confirmed that 36 people, including 32 Indian tourists and four crew members, were traveling on the boat at the time of the accident.

Rescue teams have managed to save 21 people from this tragedy, and it is reported that the condition of several of them is serious. Vietnamese authorities are continuously carrying out extensive search and rescue operations to find those still missing or other victims. The majority of those who died or were affected by this accident are employees of Lava Mobiles in India or individuals associated with it, primarily residents of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states in India.

According to preliminary passenger manifests released by the Indian Embassy, Balasubramani Palanisamy, Selvam Pitchaiya, Senthil Kumar Jayavel, Sivakumar Muthukumarasamy, Nirmal Kumar Sethuraman, Muruga Prabhu Arumugam, Reuben Selva Nathan Jacob Yesupadam, Sridhar Dharmarajan, Vigneshwar Radhakrishnan Gopal, Ramasubbu Annavi, Abuthalka Sahinudeen, Sridhar Sundararajan, and Vamsidar Selur Ramraj were among those traveling on this boat. Due to this tragedy, Telugu-speaking communities and the families of the affected employees have been deeply shocked, and Indian state governments have also established special coordination and control rooms to support the families.

According to preliminary investigations, the primary reason for the capsizing of this boat, operated by the local company Ocean Pier Island Company, was the prevailing bad weather conditions. It is reported that with this rapid capsizing that occurred around noon, all passengers fell into the water simultaneously, and a full report of the official investigations has not yet been released. Following this incident, serious questions are being raised regarding the regulations concerning speed boat operations in Vietnam's southern islands, their stability, capacity, and weather warnings issued to tourists.

The Indian Embassy in Hanoi has confirmed this tragedy and expressed its condolences, activating special control rooms in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Phu Quoc is a famous region that attracts tourists worldwide due to its beautiful beaches, and such accidents clearly demonstrate the risks of sea travel in changing weather conditions. This incident can be identified as a distinct tragedy involving a speed boat, completely different from the accident that occurred in Ha Long Bay in July 2025, where the majority of those who died were Vietnamese nationals. Victim identification efforts and relief services are currently ongoing, despite difficulties.