At least 15 Indian tourists have lost their lives in a serious boat accident off the coast of South Vietnam. The vessel, carrying a total of 32 tourists and a crew of 4, capsized in the South China Sea about 400 meters off the coast of the small island of Hon Mai Rut, located near the popular resort of Phu Quoc.
Vietnamese state media VnExpress reported that the accident occurred shortly after the boat set sail, with the main versions of the tragedy being sudden strong waves accompanied by strong winds and a possible sudden technical malfunction. Local fishermen and the coast guard managed to rescue 21 people from the water, some of whom are hospitalized in critical condition. The Indian Embassy in Hanoi confirmed the identities of the victims, who were employees of a large private mobile phone company. Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung ordered an immediate investigation into the incident and an inspection of tourist transport safety measures in the region.