Efforts on to repatriate remains of three Andhra tourists killed in Vietnam boat accident

The Union and Andhra Pradesh governments are continuing efforts to assist the families affected by the tourist boat accident in Vietnam, with steps under way to repatriate the mortal remains of the dead, provide advanced medical care to the critically injured survivor and facilitate the travel of his family.

Officials at A.P. Bhavan in New Delhi said Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu had intervened to speed up the repatriation of the mortal remains of the three victims.

After details furnished by the District Collectors concerned on the designated recipients, a detailed request was submitted through the e-Care portal for transporting the mortal remains of Nallapeta Adiseshaiah Ravi Teja to Bengaluru, Gelli Jaya Lakshmi to Vijayawada and Mudium Sreedhar to Chennai.

The Embassy of India in Vietnam finalised the travel plan; the flight schedules were expected to be communicated.

The condition of Gelli Kishore, the survivor who sustained critical injuries in the accident, remains serious, officials said. During his transfer from the Phu Quoc Government Hospital, Mr. Kishore developed grave complications, forcing doctors to postpone his evacuation.

He remains unconscious in the ICU on advanced life support. Medical investigations, including an MRI scan, revealed a small blood clot in the brain, following which he suffered a mild cardiac episode. Doctors immediately performed an emergency cardiac procedure and, subject to his condition stabilising, he would be airlifted to Ho Chi Minh City for advanced treatment, the officials added.

Senior officials and diplomats are maintaining close coordination with the treating doctors and the victim’s family.

Andhra Pradesh Excise Minister Kollu Ravindra spoke to Mr. Kishore’s cousin, Santosh, who is at the hospital in Vietnam, to review the situation and assure all possible assistance.

The Indian Ambassador has been in constant touch with the medical team, and a Vietnamese Minister visited the hospital to assess Mr. Kishore’s condition. Despite the language barrier, the Indian Embassy, the Vietnamese authorities, the doctors and the family are working in close coordination to ensure uninterrupted medical support.

The officials said efforts were also under way to enable Mr. Kishore’s family to travel to Vietnam at the earliest.

A request was made to the Embassy of India in Vietnam for the urgent issuance of emergency e-visas for the family members. Assistance had also been sought from a representative of the Telugu community in Vietnam to coordinate with the authorities concerned and speed up the process, officials said. Mr. Ravindra had also been requested to extend support from the Machilipatnam family’s side to ensure smooth coordination.

Officials said all efforts were being made by the Central and State governments and the Indian Embassy in Vietnam to facilitate the family’s travel, provide timely medical assistance to the injured survivor and ensure the repatriation of the mortal remains of the deceased.