Tiruchi residents among those killed in Vietnamese boat accident

AM Sheikh Abdullah, 56, (left), a resident of Tiruchirappalli; N. Balaji (centre), a resident of Thiruvanaikovil; S. Alagurajan, 38, (right), a resident of Crawford, Tiruchirappalli, died in a Vietnamese boat accident. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Grief has gripped the family of N. Balaji (44), a resident of Thiruvanaikovil, Tiruchi, who was among the dead in a boat accident near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam on Saturday (July 11, 2026).

Balaji, a B.Com graduate and manager at Sellmore Marketing Pvt. Ltd. in Ariyamangalam, traveled to Vietnam along with his colleagues on an incentive trip organized by Lava Mobiles. “We were waiting for him to return home in two days. This news has shaken us,” his uncle Govindarajan told The Hindu.

Balaji left for Vietnam on the night of July 8 and was due back in two days. He was the sole breadwinner and is survived by his mother, wife and two sons aged 13 and 10. Family members said his employer has been in contact with authorities and is coordinating efforts related to the incident. The family is now awaiting the repatriation of his remains from Vietnam.

Tiruchi resident AM Sheikh Abdullah (56) was also among those who died in the accident. He is survived by his wife and two children. Sheikh Abdullah ran a distribution agency for Lava Mobiles products in the city and traveled to Vietnam as part of a business trip organized by the parent company.

S. Alagurajan, 38, sales manager of Lava Mobiles overseeing Tiruchi, Karur and Thanjavur districts, was among those who died in the Vietnam tragedy. A resident of Crawford, he is survived by his wife and two sons. After reaching a three-month sales goal, he traveled to Vietnam on a company-sponsored trip.

The family came to know about the tragedy only around 3 pm through Tiruchi Mobile Sangam members. “We have spoken to Minister Ramesh who has assured us that immediate steps will be taken to facilitate the return of the mortal remains,” said his colleague Ragunath.

M. Shahul Hameed, senior vice-president of Tamil Nadu All Mobile Dealers Association, told The Hindu that the industry body has asked representatives of Lava Mobiles to be present in Vietnam to speed up procedures to repatriate the remains of the victims as soon as possible. “We have been informed that the surviving excursionists will start returning to India on Sunday afternoon (July 12, 2026). The bodies of the 15 Indian nationals may be sent back by Tuesday or Wednesday,” he said.

One from Salem

62-year-old Sridhar of Salem district was also among the victims. Sridhar, a resident of Ramakrishna Road in Salem, was a mobile phone dealer with an office in Alagapuram. He is survived by his wife, son and daughter.

Published – 12 July 2026 12:40 PM IST