Vietnam Boat Tragedy Claims 15 Indian Lives, Including 10 Tourists from Tamil Nadu

Chennai: A tourist excursion turned tragic on Saturday after a boat carrying Indian visitors capsized off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island, leaving 15 people dead, including 10 tourists from Tamil Nadu. The vessel was carrying 32 Indian tourists along with crew members when it overturned near the island, a popular tourist destination in southern Vietnam.

According to initial reports, the group included tourists from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala. The accident occurred while the boat was returning from an island trip, with rough sea conditions reported in the area. Vietnamese authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.

Rescue teams, local residents and emergency personnel rushed to the scene and managed to pull several passengers from the water. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was administered to some unconscious survivors, but despite the rescue efforts, 15 people lost their lives. Search and rescue operations continued for hours before all those on board were accounted for.

Among the deceased was 44-year-old Murugaprabhu from Palani in Tamil Nadu's Dindigul district. He and his colleague Nirmal Kumar were distributors for Lava International's mobile phone business in Palani and had earned the Vietnam trip as an incentive for their outstanding sales performance.

The overseas tour had been organised by the company to reward its top-performing distributors. What was meant to be a celebratory vacation ended in tragedy when the boat overturned during the excursion.

Officials from the Indian Embassy in Vietnam have contacted the families of the victims and are coordinating with Vietnamese authorities to facilitate the repatriation of the deceased. The embassy has also established emergency support for survivors and their families as the investigation into the accident continues.

The identities of the remaining victims are expected to be released after the completion of the formal identification process and notification of their families. Indian diplomatic officials are continuing to assist those affected by the tragedy.

With inputs from IANS