Three Andhra Pradesh tourists among 15 Indians killed in Vietnam boat tragedy

Three tourists from Andhra Pradesh were among the 15 Indians killed after a tourist speedboat capsized off Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam on Saturday. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief over the tragedy and directed officials to provide all possible assistance to the bereaved families and ensure the safe return of the survivors to the State.

The deceased from Andhra Pradesh were identified as Nallapeta Adiseshaiah Ravi Teja, Mudium Sreedhar of Kadapa and Gelli Jaya Lakshmi of Machilipatnam. The respective district administrations have contacted the victims’ families and are extending all necessary assistance.

Sources from Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi said that according to the Embassy of India in Vietnam, the tourist speedboat, operated by Ocean Pearl Island Company, capsized off Hon May Rut Ngoai near An Thoi on Phu Quoc Island while returning to An Thoi Port. The vessel was carrying 36 people, including 32 Indian tourists, three crew members and an attendant. Vietnamese authorities confirmed that all those on board have been accounted for.

The Embassy said 15 Indian tourists lost their lives in the mishap, including 10 from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala. Twenty-one people, comprising 17 passengers and four crew members, were rescued and admitted to hospitals. Two survivors remain in critical condition and are undergoing intensive medical treatment.

The Chief Minister reviewed the situation with officials and sought details on the relief measures being extended to the victims and the condition of the injured.

He instructed officials to coordinate the safe return of the survivors to Andhra Pradesh and directed the officials at AP Bhavan in New Delhi to work closely with the Indian Embassy in Vietnam and the Vietnamese authorities to provide all necessary support to the affected tourists and their families.

The Indian Ambassador, along with Embassy officials, is coordinating relief, consular assistance and liaison with the Vietnamese authorities at Phu Quoc, with Priyanka serving as the designated nodal officer. Rescue operations have concluded and a formal investigation is underway. Adverse weather, rough sea conditions and possible mechanical failure are being examined as the probable causes of the accident.

Minister for Human Resources Development, Information Technology and Electronics Nara Lokesh is also coordinating with officials to ensure timely assistance to the affected tourists and their families.

Upon receiving reports that tourists from Andhra Pradesh might have been involved in the Vietnam boat accident, Mr. Lokesh sought detailed information from officials. They informed him that preliminary inputs indicated some tourists from the State, who were on a vacation in Vietnam, had been caught in the mishap and that they were coordinating with the Indian Embassy in Vietnam to ascertain the condition of the affected tourists. Mr. Lokesh directed them to work closely with the Central government and ensure that all possible assistance is extended to the victims and their families.

YSR Congress Party president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock. In a statement, he said it was extremely tragic that the boat carrying a group of Indian tourists visiting Vietnam met with such an accident.

Several mobile phone distributors from Kadapa and Machilipatnam were among those who died, he said, urging the Central and State governments to provide all support to the tourists from the Telugu States currently stranded in Vietnam. He requested the officials to intensify rescue operations to locate the missing ones.