A devastating maritime accident off the coast of southern Vietnam has left at least 15 people dead after a speedboat carrying mostly Indian tourists overturned in rough open seas on Saturday, local Vietnamese authorities and media have confirmed.
The incident unfolded approximately 400 meters (1,312 feet) off the shore of Hon May Rut Ngoai, a small unspoiled island part of the An Thoi Archipelago in the Gulf of Thailand. Located just 10 kilometers south of Vietnam’s popular tourist destination Phu Quoc, the island is a frequent stop on international island-hopping tours that draw thousands of visitors annually.
According to official statements, a total of 36 people were on board the capsized vessel: 32 Indian nationals and four local Vietnamese crew members. Within minutes of the boat overturning, multiple other commercial tourist vessels operating nearby launched an emergency rescue operation, rescuing 21 survivors from the capsized speedboat, many of whom were found trapped inside the hull.
Nguyen Tien Hai, a senior local Communist Party official overseeing the region, told local outlet VnExpress that early investigations point to rough weather as the primary cause of the disaster. Strong gusting winds and unusually high waves that struck the area on Saturday likely overwhelmed the small speedboat, causing it to flip suddenly. As of Monday, rescue teams were still finalizing counts of casualties and survivors to confirm official numbers, Hai added.
“Our absolute top priority right now is continuing rescue operations, getting all people ashore, and concentrating every available resource on delivering urgent emergency care to the surviving passengers,” Hai said in his statement.
The Indian Embassy in Hanoi has classified the incident as a profound tragedy, and has moved quickly to support affected families. The diplomatic mission published a full list of the 32 Indian nationals that were confirmed to be on the speedboat, and has set up dedicated 24/7 telephone hotlines to share updated information and coordinate assistance for family members of those impacted by the accident.
Footage captured from the accident site shows emergency response ambulances lined up along the main Phu Quoc pier, waiting to transport casualties and survivors to local medical facilities as rescue teams bring people ashore.