15 dead, several missing after speedboat carrying Indians sinks in Vietnam
What was meant to be a day of leisure on the scenic Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam turned into a terrifying disaster on Saturday morning
What was meant to be a day of leisure on the scenic Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam turned into a terrifying disaster on Saturday morning when a tourist boat carrying holidaymakers, including several Indians, sank, killing fifteen, news agency AFP reported. The Indian Embassy said it is in touch with local authorities and is closely monitoring the situation. "In a tragic incident, a boat carrying several Indian tourists has capsized near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam a few hours ago. Exact details of the incident are being ascertained as search and rescue operations by local authorities are ongoing," the Indian Embassy in Vietnam posted on X.
The embassy has given following numbers to reach the first control room: 84 36 281 7930, 84 91 552 37 14 and 84 33 452 0414. The other one in Hanoi can be reached at: 84 91 308 9165. A video doing the rounds on social media purportedly shows the aftermath of the tourist boat accident near Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island, in which several Indian tourists are feared dead. The footage appears to show a capsized vessel floating in the sea while rescue teams surround it in speedboats. Mint could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
The visuals were shared by a local journalist, who wrote: “A speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists sank near Hon May Rut Ngoai, Phu Quoc, at around 10:30 a.m. on July 11… 18 people had been rescued by early afternoon. Authorities say fatalities are feared, but the official death toll has not yet been confirmed. Search-and-rescue operations are still underway.” Rescue teams were deployed shortly after the vessel overturned, and authorities continue to search for passengers who were on board. Also Read | 15 dead after tourist boat capsized in Kerala's Malappuram Several tourist boats sailing nearby responded immediately after noticing the capsized vessel and assisted in the rescue operation.
Speaking to Vietnamese news website VnExpress International, one of the boat operators involved in the rescue said his vessel arrived at the scene within around five minutes. He said the operation was challenging because several passengers were trapped inside the overturned boat. "Only a few people were brought out conscious," the boat operator was quoted as saying by VnExpress International.
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