Vietnam boat tragedy survivor recounts final moments before deadly capsizing

A survivor of the speedboat tragedy off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island has recounted the terrifying moments when a sightseeing trip turned fatal within minutes, saying a powerful wave overturned the vessel shortly after it set off, trapping several passengers inside.

The accident occurred on 11 July when a speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and four Vietnamese crew members capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai Island. Fifteen Indian tourists lost their lives, while 16 others were rescued and later returned to India after receiving medical treatment. One survivor remains in critical condition in a hospital in Phu Quoc.

Among those killed were 10 people from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala. Two of the victims were women.

Nirmal Kumar, a resident of Palani in Tamil Nadu's Dindigul district, returned to India on Sunday night after remaining in Vietnam to assist with the recovery of the victims. Speaking about the incident, he said the group had boarded a large, enclosed speedboat to travel between islands during the final stage of their holiday.

According to Kumar, the boat had travelled barely 300 metres and was only about three minutes into its journey when it encountered a massive wave.

"The boat tilted after being struck by an extremely strong wave. Passengers seated on one side were thrown across, causing the weight to shift suddenly. The boat then overturned completely," he said.

Kumar said the boat's driver and tour guide jumped into the water first, prompting around 20 passengers, including himself, to follow and escape. However, those seated towards the rear of the enclosed vessel were trapped beneath the overturned boat.

"Although they were wearing life jackets, they could not get out because the capsized boat pinned them underwater," he said.

He said rescue teams reached the site within around 10 minutes and rescued those floating outside the vessel, but recovering passengers trapped beneath the boat took another 20 to 30 minutes.

The tragedy also claimed the life of Kumar's childhood friend, Muruga Prabhu.

"I stayed back in Vietnam until his body was recovered and all the formalities were completed before returning to India," he said.

Kumar also claimed that the initial rescue effort lacked adequate medical supplies. Referring to a doctor who was part of the tour group, he said immediate access to emergency medicines might have improved the chances of survival for some victims.

"Our doctor felt that if certain medicines had been available at the site, four or five more people might have survived. We have conveyed this to the Vietnamese authorities," he said.

Providing a breakdown of the victims from Tamil Nadu, Kumar said four were from Chennai, three from Tiruchirappalli and one each from Salem, Erode and Tiruppur.

The mortal remains of the victims arrived in Mumbai on Sunday night and are scheduled to be flown to Chennai and Coimbatore on Tuesday morning. State authorities have made arrangements to receive the bodies and hand them over to their families.

Kumar thanked the Indian Embassy in Vietnam and the Vietnamese authorities for their support throughout the rescue and repatriation process. He also appealed to the Central and state governments to provide financial assistance to the bereaved families.

"It was an unforeseen tragedy in a foreign country. The families have suffered an unimaginable loss, and financial support from the government would help them cope during this difficult time," he said.

With PTI inputs