Lava International has announced an ex gratia financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh for the families of each employee and associate who lost their life in the recent boat tragedy off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island, the company said in an official statement.
The tragedy struck on July 11 when a tourist speedboat carrying 36 people, including 32 Indian tourists and four Vietnamese crew members, capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai Island off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island. According to Lava, 14 of their channel partners and one employee were killed, reported NDTV.
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The company said that the financial assistance is being extended as a humanitarian gesture and will be disbursed directly to the affected families after the required verification and documentation process is completed.
In its statement, Lava described those who died as "valued members of the wider Lava community" and said that it stands with their families during this period of profound grief.
The company said some employees and channel partners stayed back in Vietnam to complete formalities for the repatriation of the victims' mortal remains. 15 bodies were flown back to India while one survivor remained in critical condition in a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Associated Press reported.
According to Vietnamese authorities, the vessel, operated by Ocean Pearl Island Company, was ferrying tourists from Hon May Rut Islet to An Thoi Port, around 25 kilometers from Phu Quoc Airport, when it encountered rough weather and overturned, throwing everyone on board into the sea.
Nearby tourist boats rushed to the accident site within minutes and rescue teams subsequently brought all passengers ashore. Of the 36 people on board, 21 survived while 15 tourists lost their lives. Ten of the victims were from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala, NDTV reported.
A survivor, Nirmal Kumar from Tamil Nadu, told PTI Videos that the speedboat overturned within seconds after encountering high waves, adding that possible overloading may also have contributed to the accident, although the exact cause remains under investigation.
Vietnamese authorities have detained the speedboat's captain and launched an investigation into alleged violations of inland waterway transport safety regulations.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ordered authorities to investigate the accident and review maritime safety procedures following the tragedy.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of Indian lives and said that the Government of India was extending all possible assistance to those affected by the tragedy.
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