15 dead, several missing after speedboat carrying Indians sinks in Vietnam | Today’s news
What was supposed to be a relaxing day on the picturesque island of Phu Quoc in Vietnam turned into a terrifying disaster on Saturday morning when a tourist boat carrying holidaymakers, including several Indians, sank, killing 15 people, AFP news agency reported. The Indian embassy said it was in contact with local authorities and was monitoring the situation closely.
“In a tragic incident, a boat carrying several Indian tourists capsized off Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam a few hours ago. The exact details of the incident are being ascertained as search and rescue operations are underway by local authorities,” the Indian Embassy in Vietnam posted on X.
The embassy provided the following numbers to reach the first dispatch: 84 36 281 7930, 84 91 552 37 14 and 84 33 452 0414. The second one in Hanoi can be reached at: 84 91 308 9165.
A video on social media is said to show the aftermath of a tourist boat accident near the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, in which several Indian tourists are feared dead. The footage appears to show the overturned vessel floating in the sea as rescue teams surround it in speedboats. The 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, on July 11 at around 10:30… 18 people were rescued early afternoon. Authorities fear casualties, but the official death toll has not yet been confirmed. Search and rescue operations are still ongoing.”
Rescue teams were deployed shortly after the vessel capsized and authorities are continuing to search for the passengers who were on board.
Several tourist boats sailing nearby responded immediately after spotting the overturned vessel and assisted in the rescue operation.
In an interview with Vietnamese news website VnExpress International, one of the ship operators involved in the rescue said his vessel arrived at the scene in about five minutes. He said the operation was difficult as several passengers were trapped in the overturned boat.
“Only a few people were brought out conscious,” said the ship’s operator, as quoted by VnExpress International.
According to the report, the sea at An Thoi was rough at the time of the incident. While it did not rain, tourist boats were still operating in the area at the time of the disaster.
