At least 15 tourists died after a speedboat capsized near Phu Quoc Island in southern Vietnam on Saturday, state media reported.
The vessel, operated by Ocean Pear Island Company, was carrying tourists from Hon May Rut to An Thoi Port on a route roughly 25 kilometres from Phu Quoc Airport when it capsized around 1 p.m. local time, about 400 metres off Hon May Rut Ngoai. The boat was carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew members when it went down, authorities said.
Nearby tourist boats rushed to the scene after spotting the overturned craft, and some people were rescued from the water, according to Vietnamese outlet VnExpress. One rescue boat operator who reached the site within minutes said several trapped passengers could not be pulled out in time.
ALSO READ | 15 People, Including Indian Tourists, Feared Dead As Boat Capsizes Near Vietnam's Phu Quoc
Embassy Sets Up Control Rooms
The Indian Embassy in Vietnam confirmed the incident in a social media post, saying search and rescue operations by local authorities were ongoing and that exact details of the tragedy were still being ascertained.
It said a control room had been set up at the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City, reachable at +84 36 281 7930, +84 91 552 37 14 and +84 33 452 0414, along with a separate control room in Hanoi at +84 91 308 9165, for families seeking information and assistance.
In a tragic incident, a boat carrying several Indian tourists has capsized near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam a few hours ago.
— India in Vietnam (@AmbHanoi) July 11, 2026
Exact details of the incident are being ascertained as search and rescue operations by local authorities are ongoing.
In order to provide information…
Tourist Traffic To Phu Quoc Has Surged
The tourism-dependent island has seen a sharp rise in visitors this year, with Phu Quoc recording 5.7 million arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 30% increase year-on-year, according to the provincial Department of Tourism. Foreign tourist numbers alone jumped 50% to 1.32 million during the same period. Rescue teams remained on site as authorities worked to determine the exact cause of the capsizing. This is a developing story.
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