Tamil Nadu spl officer in Vietnam to bring back bodies of 10 killed in boat tragedy

CHENNAI: A State-appointed special officer reached Vietnam to coordinate with the Indian Embassy for the repatriation of the bodies of 10 Tamil Nadu residents killed in a speedboat accident off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island, while assisting survivors and overseeing relief measures.

Special officer coordinates repatriation efforts

Salem Range DIG Santhosh Hadimani has started coordinating with the Indian Embassy in Vietnam to expedite the repatriation of the bodies and facilitate assistance to survivors.

The bodies of the 15 Indians who were killed in the accident were taken to Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday, from where they will be flown to India soon, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi said. Officials with the State government said the bodies of the TN natives are expected to be brought back in the next few days.

The Indian mission also said that 16 of the 17 rescued Indians are on their way home. One, who is in critical condition, is hospitalised in Phu Quoc.

Embassy activates helplines for families

A speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and four local crew members capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai on Saturday, killing 15 Indian tourists; the others were rescued.

The embassy and the consulate teams are closely coordinating with Vietnamese authorities “who are committed to providing all assistance for the earliest transportation of the mortal remains to India”, the embassy said in a post on X on Sunday.

Of the 15 dead, 10 were from Tamil Nadu, three were from Andhra Pradesh and two were from Kerala. Two of the deceased were women, according to a list shared by the embassy.

The Indian Embassy and the Tamil Nadu government have also activated helplines for relatives seeking information. The contact numbers are +84 36 281 7930, +84 91 552 3714, and +84 33 452 0414.

The tourists were reportedly returning from an island visit when their speedboat capsized about 400 metres off Hon May Rut Ngoai island.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island, is a major tourist destination known for its white-sand beaches, coral reefs and island-hopping excursions.