At least 15 people died in Vietnam when a tourist boat capsized

Phu Quoc, Vietnam.- Fifteen people died this Saturday in southern Vietnam when a boat carrying Indian tourists capsized off the island of Phu Quoc, a state media outlet reported.

The vessel reportedly encountered unusual swells and winds in the early afternoon while it was about 400 meters from May Rut Ngoai.

“A speedboat with 32 Indian tourists and four crew members capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai, in Phu Quoc, causing 15 deaths. 21 people were rescued,” reported the media outlet VnExpress.

According to state media, the vessel encountered unusual waves and winds in the early afternoon while it was about 400 meters from May Rut Ngoai, a small island south of Phu Quoc, highly prized by divers for its coral reefs.

Other tourist vessels that were in the vicinity quickly arrived at the scene, along with the coast guard, but numerous passengers remained trapped inside the speedboat.

The accident occurred off the island of Phu Quoc.

The Tuoi Tre newspaper cited local police, who reported that 21 people had been taken to a hospital for emergency treatment, two of them in critical condition.

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According to Tuoi Tre, the 15 deceased individuals, 13 men and 2 women, were all foreigners.

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic news of a boat accident involving Indian citizens,” reacted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X.

“I express my deepest condolences to the families,” he added.

The Embassy of India in Vietnam reported that it is closely monitoring the situation and has set up several assistance centers to support the affected families.

“The exact details of the incident are still being investigated,” he noted in a statement.

According to a local Communist Party official cited by VnExpress, Nguyen Tien Hai, the vessel and its operator had all the necessary authorizations for passenger transport.

The vessel was struck by heavy swells and winds.

Phu Quoc Island, the largest in Vietnam, has experienced a significant tourism boom in recent years, with more than 1.8 million foreign visitors in 2025.

India confirms consular assistance

The Indian government confirmed this Saturday an urgent consular assistance deployment for the survivors and families of the victims of a maritime accident in southern Vietnam, in which at least 15 Indian tourists died.

“Our Embassy and Consulate are providing all possible assistance. Our officials are also in close contact with the Vietnamese authorities,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on X after learning of the incident.

The country’s authorities have confirmed their attendance to coordinate medical care for the 21 rescued survivors and expedite repatriation procedures, in addition to contacting the victims’ families.

The institutional response also included the Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was “deeply distressed” by the loss of “precious lives,” as well as the leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi, who sent his thoughts to the families suffering an “agonizing wait” for details of the accident.

The Government has confirmed that at least 32 people were on the vessel at the time of the accident, all of them of Indian nationality.

The accident occurred around 13:00 local time (6:00 GMT), when a speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew members suffered a mechanical failure.

The strong waves and unusual high winds in the area caused the boat to capsize while it was returning to the port of An Thoi, one of the most popular areas on Phu Quoc Island. Local authorities continue to investigate the exact causes of the shipwreck.

Although civilian vessels and the Vietnamese Border Guard managed to rescue 21 people alive, another 15 died after being trapped inside the vessel, whose licenses and permits were in order according to preliminary investigations.