‘Boat Had Barely Gone 300 Metres’: Eyewitness Recalls Vietnam Tourist Boat Tragedy

Vietnam Boat Tragedy: ‘Boat Had Barely Travelled 300 Metres,’ Eyewitness Recalls Horror That Killed 15 Indian Tourists

An eyewitness to the boat accident near Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island that claimed the lives of 15 Indian tourists on Saturday said the speedboat had travelled only 300-400 metres from the shore before it suddenly overturned, leaving passengers with little time to react.

Ashish Kumar, a 48-year-old mobile phone distributor from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, was among a group of Lava International employees, distributors and channel partners on a company trip to Vietnam. Speaking to PTI, he said the group had arrived in the country on July 9 and was scheduled to return to India on Sunday.

‘Everything Happened Within Seconds’

According to Kumar, the tourists had been divided into batches and ferried between islands. One speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists had just departed from Hon May Rut Ngoai Island when disaster struck.

“The incident happened around 1:30 pm local time. The boat had barely travelled 300 to 400 metres when it suddenly overturned. We were taking photographs on the island, and before we could understand what had happened, the boat had capsized,” he said.

Kumar said weather conditions did not appear severe at the time of the accident.

“There was some wind, but that’s normal on an island. The boat had hardly left the shore. We were all shouting for help.”

Rescue Teams Arrived Quickly

He said rescue personnel responded promptly and managed to bring survivors and victims back to shore. However, he claimed medical assistance was not immediately available.

“The rescue teams acted quickly, but there were no medical teams on hand to provide CPR or emergency treatment. Everyone is still in shock.”

Kumar added that while he was travelling alone, several others were accompanied by family members.

“One distributor I know was travelling with his wife. She lost her life in the accident, while he is currently fighting for his life in hospital.”

Survivor Recalls Boat Overturning

Another survivor, Nirmal Kumar from Palani, Tamil Nadu, described the terrifying moments leading up to the accident.

According to him, 39 passengers were onboard when a large wave struck the vessel, causing it to overturn within moments.

“A huge wave hit the boat. Around 20 people managed to escape, but many others became trapped inside because it was a closed boat. We were seated near the front, which helped us get out,” he told PTI.

He added that the boat operators had ensured passengers were provided with the required safety equipment before departure.

Lava International Expresses Condolences

Following the tragedy, Lava International expressed grief over the loss of lives, confirming that several of those involved were company employees and channel partners.

In a statement, the smartphone manufacturer said it was coordinating with the Embassy of India in Vietnam and local authorities while extending support to the affected families.

“Our immediate priority is to assist those impacted and their loved ones. Our teams in India and Vietnam are in constant touch with the families and are providing all possible help,” the company said.

According to Vietnamese media reports, 15 Indian tourists died in the accident. The speedboat was also carrying four crew members when it capsized near Phu Quoc Island. Rescue operations and investigations into the cause of the accident are underway.