HANOI: In a devastating maritime tragedy, at least 15 Indian tourists lost their lives after a speedboat capsized near the popular tourist destination of Phu Quoc Island in southern Vietnam on Saturday. Shockingly, the deceased include a Malayali couple hailing from Kottarakkara in the Kollam district of Kerala. The deceased Keralites have been identified as A.C. Thomas (57) and his wife Lovany Thomas (56).
The accident occurred around 1:00 PM local time when the tourist vessel, operated by the Ocean Pearl Island Company, was transporting 32 Indian passengers and 4 crew members from Hon May Rut Ngoai Island to An Thoi Port. According to Vietnamese authorities, the speedboat overturned roughly 400 meters away from the island due to sudden rough sea conditions, heavy gales, and towering waves.
The tourists were reportedly employees of a private medical firm who were visiting Vietnam as part of an official incentive trip and annual corporate meeting. A majority of the passengers on board belonged to various South Indian states. Local search and rescue teams, alongside the Vietnamese Navy, Coast Guard, and nearby private boats, responded swiftly to the site. Out of the 36 individuals on board, 21 people were safely rescued from the water and the injured were rushed to nearby medical facilities for urgent treatment.
