Vietnam boat accident: PM Modi tweets ‘extremely saddened’ as 15 Indians die in Vietnam's Phu Quoc

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he was deeply saddened by the deaths of Indian nationals in a boat accident near Phu Quoc in Vietnam.

Expressing his sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones, he said that Indian missions are providing all possible help.

15 Indian tourists were killed in the incident on Saturday. According to PTI sources, the tourists were employees of a private mobile phone company — Lava Mobile — attending an annual meeting.

"Extremely saddened to learn about the tragic news of a boat accident involving Indian nationals near Phu Quoc, Vietnam," Modi said in a post on X. “My sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. My prayers for the early recovery of the injured survivors.”

The prime minister also said that the Indian Embassy and Consulate are providing all possible assistance. "Our officials are also in close contact with the Vietnamese authorities," he said.

PM Modi departed for home on Saturday after concluding a two-day visit to New Zealand.

Vietnam boat accident

A speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew members capsized about 400 metres off Hon May Rut Ngoai, an island in the An Thoi archipelago off the coast of Phu Quoc, according to Vietnamese news portal VN Express International.

The tour was reportedly organised by Vietnam-based Threeland Travel through local coordinating vendor Sai Vietnam.

21 people were rescued, and all the dead (15) were recovered, authorities said. The injured were taken to hospitals. Of the survivors, 17 were passengers, and four were crew members.

Two remained in critical condition, and all 36 persons on board have been accounted for, the authorities said.

Phu Quoc in the Gulf of Thailand is one of Vietnam's most popular beach destinations. Hon May Rut island is about 10 kilometres (6 miles) south of Phu Quoc. They're known for their white-sand beaches and clear waters and draw millions of domestic and foreign tourists each year.

The cause of the accident wasn't immediately clear, and an investigation was underway.

2 Andhra residents killed

Two people from Andhra Pradesh were killed, and three others from the state were hospitalised in Vietnam, news agency PTI reported, citing sources in the Andhra Pradesh government.

"Preliminary information indicates that two persons from Machilipatnam are among the deceased. We are coordinating with the Indian Embassy and the Vietnamese authorities, and further details will be shared after official confirmation," Andhra Pradesh sources told PTI.

Preliminary reports indicated that Jalalakshmi and Jayashree, both from Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, were among the deceased.