The bodies of the 15 Indian tourists who were killed in a speedboat accident off Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island were flown to India on Monday (July 13, 2026), the Indian Embassy in Hanoi said.

The bodies were sent in a Vietnam Airlines flight that departed from Ho Chi Minh City around 6 p.m. local time.

The governments of the victims’ home States would coordinate with their families for the onward transportation of their mortal remains from Mumbai airport to their respective destinations, the mission said.

Ten of the victims were from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and two from Kerala.

“We are grateful for the many messages of condolences and prayers from our Vietnamese friends. Your prayers, efforts and presence gave us strength in this extreme hour of grief,” the Indian Embassy said in a post on X.

The Indian mission also thanked all concerned authorities in Vietnam for their assistance.

A speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and four local crew members capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai off Phu Quoc Island on Friday, killing 15 tourists. The others were rescued.

While 16 of the rescued Indian tourists have returned to India, one is hospitalised in Vietnam’s Phu Quoc.

“The Indian national undergoing treatment at Phu Quoc after the tragic boat accident successfully underwent a medical procedure yesterday evening. He has been admitted in a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City today. His family members have also arrived in Ho Chi Minh City,” the Indian Embassy in Hanoi said in a separate post on Monday.

The hospitalised survivor is in critical condition, the AP news agency reported. The 49-year-old man has severe lung damage after nearly drowning, along with shock, multiple injuries and bleeding in the brain, it said.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, is a major tourist destination known for its white-sand beaches, coral reefs and island-hopping excursions.

The tourists were reportedly returning from an island visit on Saturday (July 11, 2026) when the speedboat capsized about 400 metres off Hon May Rut Ngoai island.

The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained, and Vietnamese authorities have ordered an investigation.

According to the Vietnamese news portal VN Express International, the operator of the speedboat was detained on Sunday (July 12, 2026).

The story so far: Fifteen Indian tourists died after a boat overturned in the rough seas off May Rut Ngoai islet in Vietnam’s Phu Quoc on July 11, 2026. The speedboat, bearing registration number AG 26751, operated by Minh Huy Phu Quoc Trading and Tourism Co. Ltd., was ferrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew members from Hon May Rut to An Thoi Port. It capsized about 400 metres off May Rut Ngoai. Vietnamese media quoted locals operating nearby boats as saying that the sea off An Thoi was rough at the time of the accident, though there was no rain.

What action has Vietnam taken?

Hours after the tragedy, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung ordered a probe into the cause of the accident, directing authorities to fix accountability. The country’s Ministry of Public Security wrote on its website that the boat “suddenly encountered big waves, strong winds overturned, causing all crew and passengers to fall into the sea.”

A day later, on July 12, Vietnamese police “decided to detain and launch criminal proceedings against a local man for alleged legal violations”, reported VN Express. The detainee, Nguyen Hong Hai, 57, was the boat’s captain. A company official had told Vietnamese media earlier that “the captain… had many years of experience operating passenger boats.”

The government formed two working groups to help families of victims and coordinate with relevant agencies, the Embassy of Vietnam in India, the Embassy of India in Hamoi, and the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City for consular and citizen protection work, and ensure early repatriation of the dead.

Were there any violations?

Although the Vietnamese government has not explicitly flagged any violations such as overloading, or the boat’s captain ignoring weather warning as yet, the country’s Construction Ministry issued a note urging authorities to “urgently strengthen” measures to ensure “order and safety of inland waterway and maritime traffic”. It wanted stakeholders to “promptly overcome inadequacies and risks of unsafety to prevent similar accidents.” It told authorities concerned to review the safety of inland waterway and maritime traffic “in the area where the accident occurred and areas with similar conditions”. The Ministry stressed on the “observance of legal provisions on ensuring waterway and maritime traffic safety” in extreme weather conditions.

The Vietnamese government held a meeting in which representatives of its Foreign Affairs Ministry, Construction Ministry, Navy, and Coast Guard “evaluate(d) the overcoming of the consequences of the canoe capsizing (in) Phu Quoc”, reported Vietnamese news outlet Tuoi Tre.

The report said that an official of the People’s Committee told the police to “quickly investigate and clarify the cause of the accident to strictly handle violating organizations and individuals.”

The official said that forces “must pay attention to tightening the management of transportation, general inspection of waterway safety processes throughout the area…”

He spoke about “absolutely not granting departure permits for any vehicle if they do not fully ensure safety conditions, life jackets and techniques as prescribed”.

What happens next?

Phu Quoc is a tourism hotspot and hosted 5.7 million tourists in the first half of the year, up 30% year-on-year; these included 1.32 million foreign tourists, up 50% year-on-year, according to the province’s Department of Tourism. The number of tourists from India were up 45.6% during this period, the department said. Russians visited the country in droves, with tourist inflows jumping by 186% compared to last year.

Following the accident, speedboat operators have suspended operations citing weather conditions. A director of a speedboat company told the news outlet Tuoi Tre (Youth) that he has cancelled “more than 20 speedboat tours for foreign visitors to Phu Quoc”.

The company has instructed its staff to “strictly follow safety procedures, ensure passengers are provided with life jackets, and never carry more passengers than the permitted capacity”.

Referring to the accident that happened during an island-hopping trip, the company director said that “narrow channels” separating the islands in the An Thoi archipelago create an “attractive island-hopping route” but also pose risks during rough weather. “Strong waves and complex currents often develop in the gaps between the islands, requiring speedboats to slow down significantly when passing through these areas,” the report said.

“We tried administering CPR to them, but it was too late,” recalled Mahipal Sanghvi as he landed in Hyderabad on Sunday night (July 12), a day after witnessing the boat tragedy off Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island. The victims, pulled out of the water by rescue teams, were brought ashore where fellow tourists attempted to revive them before they were declared dead.

People from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and other States, who were stranded in Vietnam following the accident, arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) on Sunday night. Family members gathered at the airport more than an hour before the flight’s arrival, anxiously waiting to receive their loved ones.

Mahipal Sanghvi, a resident of Vijayawada, said he was part of a group of around 80 tourists who had travelled to Vietnam on July 8.

“We reached Phu Quoc Island on July 11. Some members of our group were taking part in water activities while I remained on the island. After some time, we were informed that a boat was involved in an accident. Rescue teams brought those who had fallen into the water back to the shore. We tried administering CPR to them, but it was too late, and they were declared dead,” he said.

Another survivor, Ganesh from Hyderabad, said a large number of tourists from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were part of the overall tour.

“There were around 20 to 30 people from Hyderabad in the overall tour group,” he added.

Ganesh said the support extended by the Andhra Pradesh government after the tragedy had been reassuring.

Srinivas, a resident of West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, said he was part of a separate group of 24 tourists and had narrowly escaped the tragedy. “We were waiting for our boat to arrive when the accident happened to the boat ahead of us. We could see the strong flow of water, which was dangerous,” he said.

He added that about three passengers from Andhra Pradesh and eight from Telangana were among those who returned on the same flight that landed in Hyderabad on Sunday night.

Another passenger, Rameshwar Pradhan, said the group had travelled to Vietnam and a total of 105 people were part of the tour. “We had travelled to Phu Quoc Island and were scheduled to visit another nearby island. The group was divided into three boats. The first boat had travelled about one kilometre when it lost control in rough waters and overturned,” he said.

According to Mr. Pradhan, the boat was carrying 34 people. “A few people were rescued safely, while the remaining passengers fell into the water. Two people are in critical condition and are undergoing treatment at a hospital on the island,” he said.

Mr. Pradhan said rescue efforts began immediately after the accident. “The Vietnamese naval team responded quickly, and the Indian Embassy also extended immediate assistance. The injured were admitted to the hospital and are undergoing treatment. We are awaiting further updates,” he said.

He added that 17 members of the tour group had returned on the flight that landed in Hyderabad on Sunday night, while efforts were continuing to assist those who remained in Vietnam.

The mortal remains of 15 Indian nationals who died after a tourist speedboat capsized off the coast of Vietnam’s Phu Quoc island have reached Ho Chi Minh City, the Embassy of India in Vietnam stated on Sunday (July 12, 2026).

In a post on X, the Embassy informed that the mortal remains of the deceased will be transported to India following the completion of necessary formalities. The Embassy added that, along with the Consulate teams and the Vietnamese authorities, it remains committed to facilitating the earliest repatriation. “The mortal remains of 15 Indian Nationals who tragically passed away in yesterday’s boat accident have reached Ho Chi Minh City. After completion of formalities at Ho Chi Minh, the mortal remains would be transported to India at the earliest.

The Embassy and the Consulate teams are closely coordinating with the Vietnamese authorities who are committed to providing all assistance for the earliest transportation of the mortal remains to India,” it stated. The Embassy also extended hopes for the speedy recovery of one survivor undergoing treatment at the Phu Quoc Hospital.”We continue to pray for the early recovery of the one survivor at Phu Quoc Hospital,” it added.

Further, the Embassy stated that 15 survivors of yesterday’s tragic boat accident have been discharged from the hospital and are travelling back to India. “Of the two patients in critical care, one has been discharged and is travelling back to India. The other is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Phu Quoc. We continue to pray for his early recovery,” the Embassy of India in Vietnam said.

The incident occurred on Saturday (July 11, 2026) as the boat carrying 32 Indian tourists, three Vietnamese crew members and a tour guide overturned in rough seas off May Rut Ngoai islet, state media said.