Speedboat accident in southern Vietnam kills 15 Indian tourists

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>A speedboat carrying Indian tourists capsized off southern Vietnam’s Phu Quoc island on Saturday, killing at least 15 people, state media reported.</p> <p>The boat was carrying 36 people when it overturned around 400 metres off May Rut Ngoai islet, according to the VNExpress website.</p> <p>Multiple tourist and coast guard boats participated in a rescue effort during which some people were plucked safely from the water.</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--embed media--uneven media--tweet' data-original-src='https://x.com/the_hindu/status/2075915292468006961'> <div class='media__item media__item--twitter '><span> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/the_hindu/status/2075915292468006961"></a> </blockquote> </span></div> </figure> <p>The <em>Tuoi Tre</em> newspaper quoted local police as saying 21 people had been transported to a hospital for emergency treatment, two of whom were in critical condition.</p> <p>India’s embassy in Vietnam confirmed the capsized boat had been carrying “several Indian tourists” but said that “exact details of the incident are being ascertained”.</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--embed media--uneven media--tweet' data-original-src='https://x.com/AmbHanoi/status/2075868586690945210'> <div class='media__item media__item--twitter '><span> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/AmbHanoi/status/2075868586690945210"></a> </blockquote> </span></div> </figure> <p>Nguyen Tien Hai, a provincial official of the ruling Communist Party, said authorities were still confirming the exact number of survivors, according to the state media report.</p> <p>Hai said initial assessments suggested that the speedboat may have overturned due to heavy winds and high waves.</p> <p>Located just south of Vietnam’s largest island Phu Quoc, May Rut Ngoai is known for its pristine blue waters, white sand beaches and accessible diving reefs.</p> <figure class='media w-full sm:w-full media-- ' data-original-src='https://i.dawn.com/primary/2026/07/111808335d8eacf.webp'> <div class='media__item '><picture><img src='https://i.dawn.com/primary/2026/07/111808335d8eacf.webp' alt='Ambulances line up on a pier to help victims of a boating accident after a tourist vessel capsized off Phu Quoc Island in southern Vietnam&rsquo;s An Giang Province on July 11, 2026. &mdash;AFP' /></picture></div> <figcaption class='media__caption '>Ambulances line up on a pier to help victims of a boating accident after a tourist vessel capsized off Phu Quoc Island in southern Vietnam’s An Giang Province on July 11, 2026. —AFP</figcaption> </figure> <p>Visitors often access the islet by speedboat from the main island.</p> <p>Phu Quoc has seen a major tourism boom in recent years, with more than 1.8 million foreigners visiting the island last year.</p> <p>Boating accidents are a regular occurrence in Vietnam, where extreme weather, persistent flooding and inadequate maintenance have led to frequent tragedies.</p> <p>In July last year, 39 people were<a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1925337"> killed</a> when a tourist boat ferrying families around northern Vietnam’s famed Ha Long Bay capsized after being lashed by a sudden storm.</p> This development from dawn.com highlights ongoing changes in the sector.