Tour boat accident in Southern Vietnam claims the lives of 15 Indian tourists

A weekend vacation turned into a profound disaster off the coast of southern Vietnam when a tourist speedboat capsized near a popular resort destination. The incident resulted in the drowning of at least 15 foreign nationals, all identified as Indian tourists, who were participating in a corporate incentive trip. Despite a rapid response from nearby vessels and local military units, more than a dozen holidaymakers could not be saved from the overturned watercraft.

The accident occurred on Saturday afternoon near the An Thoi archipelago, located just south of Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam’s largest and most heavily visited island paradise. According to municipal authorities and eyewitness accounts, the speedboat, operated by the Ocean Pearl Island Company, was transporting a total of 36 individuals. The manifest included 32 Indian passengers alongside four local crew members and service attendants. The group was making its return journey from Hon May Rut Island, an islet celebrated for its white-sand beaches and pristine diving reefs, back toward the main destination at An Thoi Port. The maritime tragedy unfolded with shocking speed. Witnesses and survivors stated that the speedboat had barely traveled 400 meters from the shoreline when a sequence of massive waves and powerful winds struck the hull. The force of the water abruptly flipped the vessel completely upside down, throwing all 36 occupants into the sea.

Because the speedboat featured a modern, enclosed cabin design, escaping the capsized structure proved exceptionally difficult for those seated toward the back of the vessel. Survivors who managed to climb out reported that they were near the front of the cabin when the wave struck, allowing them to swim clear before the boat fully inverted. However, those positioned deeper inside the passenger compartment became trapped underwater as the hull filled with sea water. Nearby tourist operators and private jet skis were the first to notice the overturned boat, arriving on the scene within five minutes to pull swimming survivors from the open ocean. They were quickly joined by an array of emergency teams, including the Vietnamese Navy, Border Guards, and the Coast Guard. In total, 21 people were rescued from the water, including all four Vietnamese crew members. The survivors were quickly brought to nearby piers and transported to area hospitals via waiting ambulances. Two of the rescued tourists remain in critical condition within an intensive care unit.

The Indian Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City immediately established emergency response centers to assist grieving families and coordinate with local hospitals. Officials confirmed that the victims were part of a larger 105-person corporate delegation representing a major Indian mobile phone brand, who had traveled to Vietnam for an annual reward trip. In response to the mass casualty event, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung issued an executive directive demanding an immediate, thorough investigation to determine legal accountability. The Prime Minister also ordered maritime safety departments across the nation to aggressively review water transportation protocols to ensure strict safety compliance at all major tourist centers.