A tragic maritime accident off the coast of southern Vietnam that claimed the lives of 15 Indian tourists last week is moving into the next phase this Monday, as the remains of the victims are being transported back to their home country for final arrangements.
The incident unfolded on a Saturday afternoon, shortly after the vessel departed Hon May Rut Ngoai, a small island located near Phu Quoc — Vietnam’s largest island and a top beach tourism destination. When the speedboat overturned in near-shore waters, it was carrying 32 Indian tourists and 4 local Vietnamese crew members, according to local Vietnamese authorities.
In the wake of the capsizing, 57-year-old boat captain Nguyen Hong Hai has been taken into investigation, with local state media reporting that he faces allegations of violating waterway transport safety regulations.
In a social media statement, the Indian Embassy in Vietnam confirmed that the flight carrying the victims’ remains departed Ho Chi Minh City and is scheduled to land in Mumbai by late Monday. Officials have already requested local state administrations to coordinate additional domestic travel of the remains to the victims’ home communities. Breakdown of the victims by state shows 10 hailed from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and two from Kerala.
The group was on an all-expense company retreat organized by Lava International, a Uttar Pradesh-based manufacturer of smartphones and consumer electronics. The outing included current employees, distribution partners and retail partners from across the country.
Sixteen survivors have already been discharged from local medical facilities and are on their way back to India, per previous updates from the Indian Embassy. One survivor, however, remains in critical condition: a 49-year-old man who suffered near-drowning. He was transferred on Monday to Ho Chi Minh City’s Cho Ray Hospital, Vietnam’s leading public specialized medical center, for advanced care. The patient sustained severe lung damage, alongside multiple physical injuries, brain bleeding, and post-traumatic shock, according to local Vietnamese outlet Vietnam News. Dr. Tran Thanh Linh, head of the hospital’s intensive care unit, told reporters Monday that the patient’s blood pressure and blood oxygen saturation levels have improved in recent hours, giving care teams cautious optimism.
One survivor, 44-year-old businessman Nirmal Kumar, recounted the sudden turn from leisure to disaster for the group. He told the Associated Press that the trip was just minutes old when an unexpected storm brought rough churning waters to the area. A large rogue wave slammed into the side of the speedboat, sending passengers into immediate panic. Kumar said the vessel rocked violently, becoming increasingly hard for the captain to control before it flipped over.
“People rushed from one side of the boat to the other, and then they started jumping,” Kumar said. “I also jumped into the water.” He added that rescue teams arrived on the scene within just five minutes, pulling him and other survivors out of the rough sea. The incident has left lasting psychological trauma for Kumar: one of the victims was his childhood friend, who joined the trip expecting a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. “I still can’t process that he is dead,” Kumar shared.
The capsizing took place roughly 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Phu Quoc, a coastal hotspot famous for its powdery white sand beaches and crystal clear blue waters that draws millions of domestic and international travelers each year. In recent years, India has emerged as one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing source markets for international tourism, with visitor numbers from the South Asian nation climbing steadily annually.