On July 11, 15 Indian tourists died when a speedboat carrying 32 Indians and four Vietnamese crew members capsized near Hoan Me Rut Ngoi island near Phu Quoc. The bodies of the victims were brought back to India on Monday, while a seriously injured tourist is undergoing treatment in Vietnam.Meanwhile, Vietnamese police have placed the boat’s captain, Nguyen Hong Hai, under investigation for alleged violation of inland waterway transport safety rules.Amid the ongoing investigation, Tran Minh Khoa, chairman of the Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone, answered questions on the rescue operation, the circumstances surrounding the accident and the status of the official investigation.There have been reports that the high death toll in the incident involving a speedboat carrying Indian tourists in Phu Quoc was due to delays in rescue operations. Can you clarify whether this is true? Also, what was the actual rescue response like when the incident occurred?The information outlined above does not accurately reflect the actual circumstances of the incident response, nor the tireless rescue and relief efforts conducted by local residents and Vietnamese authorities.On July 11, 2026, at about 1 pm, under severe weather conditions, the tourist speedboat Ocean Pearl Island, carrying about 32 Indian tourists, three crew members and a Vietnamese tour guide, capsized about 400 meters from Hon May Rut Ngoi Island en route to An Thoi International Port.Immediately, local residents and personnel working around the accident site mobilized available ships, speedboats and motorized craft to conduct rescue operations. These responders formed part of the local “four-on-the-spot” force as part of a permanent search and rescue plan for the area. Also, they immediately informed the local authorities and concerned agencies.Upon receiving the information, and within a short period of time, the leaders of the Phu Quoc Special Administrative Region, along with border guards, army, police, coast guard, navy and medical forces, as well as other relevant agencies and rescue assets, arrived at the scene to conduct search and rescue operations, provide emergency medical aid and treatment to the victims, and secure the accident site.Despite extremely challenging weather conditions, including high waves and strong winds, both local residents and rescue workers courageously participated in the rescue effort despite risks to their safety. His quick actions helped minimize casualties and ensured that all 36 people on board were recovered and brought ashore on the island of Hon May Ruth Ngoi. Immediate first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) were administered. Subsequently, professional rescue and medical teams joined local residents in providing emergency assistance and rapidly evacuated all 36 victims to An Thoi port, from where they were transferred to Sun International Hospital and Military Hospital 178 of Naval Region 5 for further examination and treatment.Sadly, despite such extensive efforts, 15 people lost their lives. The 17 survivors were successfully rescued and continued to receive dedicated medical care at Sun International Hospital.In accordance with instructions from the Party and senior leadership of Vietnam, relevant authorities – including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Construction, Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City, People’s Committee of An Giang Province, Phu Quoc Special Administrative Region and other competent local agencies – made every possible effort and coordinated with the Embassy of India in Hanoi and the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City to immediately implement civil protection measures, minimize loss of life and address the consequences of the incident. Worked together.Ho Van Muang, chairman of the People’s Committee of An Giang Province, closely monitored the developments and directly instructed the chairman of the Phu Quoc Special Administrative Region and relevant officials to deal with the aftermath of the accident, before personally visiting the site. Two vice-presidents of the Phu Quoc Special Administrative Region were immediately deployed to the An Thoi area to direct response and recovery efforts. A deputy director of Kien Giang General Hospital was also sent to the island on the afternoon of 11 July.The Special Task Force remained on round-the-clock duty in the hospitals and closely coordinated with the Indian side in providing emergency treatment, medical care and assistance to the injured tourists. Also, the police expedited all necessary legal processes as requested by the officials of the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City to facilitate early repatriation of the remains of the 15 deceased victims.On the morning of July 12, 2026, the remains of 15 victims were transported from the island to the mainland by a dedicated ferry. They were later transferred to the Ho Chi Minh City Forensic Center at 8:00 pm the same day for preservation and processing in accordance with applicable regulations. On the afternoon of July 13, 2026, in accordance with the wishes of the victims’ families, the remains were brought back to India and exhumed at approximately 9:30 pm local time on July 13, 2026.The remaining tourists departed from Phu Quoc in stable health conditions. Only one seriously injured tourist, whose condition was complicated by pre-existing medical problems, continued to receive intensive and comprehensive treatment at Sun International Hospital, with both the direct support of the head of the intensive care unit of Cho Re Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City and remote consultation with specialists from the same hospital. On the morning of July 13, the patient was transferred to Cho Re Hospital for continued treatment and care. All transportation and medical expenses were completely covered by An Giang Province.Rescue operations, medical treatment of the injured, handling of the dead and civil protection measures were carried out in a prompt, responsible and humane manner in accordance with Vietnamese law and international practice. Leaders of the People’s Committee of An Giang Province and Phu Quoc Special Administrative Region regularly visited victims in hospitals, provided encouragement and support, and coordinated with businesses to provide financial assistance to survivors and families of those who lost their lives.The Ambassador of India to Vietnam and Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City highly appreciated and expressed gratitude for the attention and support provided by the Vietnamese leadership, dedicated efforts of the competent authorities, timely assistance of local residents and contributions of relevant ministries, agencies, An Giang Province and Phu Quoc Special Administrative Region. He affirmed that Vietnam has proven to be a reliable friend of India in times of difficulty.To what extent has the Vietnamese side investigated so far and clarified the cause of the speedboat sinking? How will the individuals involved be dealt with?Party leaders and the State of Vietnam attach utmost importance to this tragic incident and direct the relevant Vietnamese authorities to immediately implement rescue and relief measures, provide medical treatment to the injured, support the families of the victims, and closely coordinate with the Indian side in addressing the consequences of the accident. He has also instructed the competent authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and establish the cause of the incident.In line with the instructions of Vietnam’s senior leadership, the People’s Committee of An Giang Province has instructed relevant authorities to immediately investigate the accident and vigorously address any violations committed by organizations or individuals if identified. An Giang Provincial Police and other competent authorities have investigated the accident site, collected relevant evidence and documents, and taken statements from relevant persons to determine the cause of the accident.Preliminary findings indicate that the accident was caused by severe, unusual and rapidly changing weather conditions. However, in order to fully establish the cause of the incident and ensure strict compliance with the law, at 2 pm on July 12, 2026, the Investigative Police Agency of An Giang Province launched a criminal investigation and placed the speedboat operator under temporary custody to investigate alleged violations of legal regulations related to the accident. The competent authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the responsibilities of all concerned individuals and organizations in accordance with the law.Once the investigation and verification process is complete and official findings are available, we will provide further information accordingly.
