Ho Chi Minh City: The bodies of 15 Indian nationals who lost their lives in the speedboat accident off Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island are being sent back to India on Monday, with the Indian Embassy overseeing the repatriation and asking state authorities to help the bereaved families.
The mortal remains are being flown from Ho Chi Minh City to Mumbai on Vietnam Airlines flight VN979. The aircraft is set to take off 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 Coordinates Return Of Bodies
In a post on X, the embassy said it had informed the relevant state governments and requested them to work with the affected families so the remains can be taken onward to their respective hometowns.
The mission in Hanoi, together with the Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, also extended 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 From Three States
According to the Embassy of India in Vietnam, the dead included 10 people from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala.
On Sunday night, a number of survivors from Andhra Pradesh arrived at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport after returning from Vietnam following the accident.
Boat Overturned Near 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.
Citing local authorities, the publication said the Ocean Pear Island Company vessel was transporting tourists from Hon May Rut Islet to An Thoi Port, roughly 25 kilometres from Phu Quoc Airport, when it overturned in the afternoon and plunged all those aboard into the sea.
