The mortal remains of 15 Indian nationals who died in the speedboat accident off Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island are being flown back to India on Monday, with the Indian Embassy coordinating the repatriation and state authorities asked to assist the bereaved families.
The bodies are being transported from Ho Chi Minh City to Mumbai on Vietnam Airlines flight VN979. The flight is scheduled to leave at 6 pm local time and land at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 9:35 pm IST, according to the Indian Embassy in Vietnam.
Embassy asks states to assist families
In a post on X, the embassy said it had informed the concerned state governments and requested them to coordinate with the affected families for the onward transportation of the mortal remains to their respective hometowns.
“The respective State Governments have been informed and have been requested to kindly coordinate with the affected families for the onward journey of the mortal remains to their final destinations,” the embassy said.
The mission in Hanoi, along with the Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, also expressed condolences to the families of those who died.
“The Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City pray for the family members of the deceased. We are available for any assistance,” it said.
Victims belonged to three Indian states
According to the Embassy of India in Vietnam, the deceased included 10 people from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala.
On Sunday night, several survivors from Andhra Pradesh reached Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport after returning from Vietnam following the accident.
Speedboat overturned near Phu Quoc Island
At least 15 people, including Indian tourists, were killed after a speedboat carrying 36 people capsized near Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island on Saturday, according to Vietnamese newspaper VN Express.
The publication, citing authorities in the Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone, reported that the vessel, operated by Ocean Pear Island Company, was carrying tourists from Hon May Rut Islet to An Thoi Port, about 25 kilometres from Phu Quoc Airport, when it overturned in the afternoon, throwing everyone on board into the sea.