President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief over the deaths of Indian tourists in a tragic boat accident near Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island, as Indian diplomatic missions set up emergency helplines to assist affected families.
According to the Embassy of India in Hanoi, a boat carrying several Indian tourists capsized near Phu Quoc Island. Search and rescue operations by Vietnamese authorities are continuing, while Indian officials are working to ascertain the exact details of the incident.
The Embassy said official information confirmed that 32 Indian tourists were on board the vessel. It later announced that Vietnamese authorities had shared the names of 15 Indian nationals who lost their lives in the accident. The Embassy said it was continuing to verify details regarding casualties and those affected.
To assist families, the Embassy and the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City have established dedicated control rooms and remain in close coordination with Vietnamese authorities.
The Embassy said, “In order to provide information and assistance to affected families, a Control Room at the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City has been setup which can be reached at : +84 36 281 7930, +84 91 552 37 14 and +84 33 452 0414. A Control room has been established in Hanoi and can be reached at +84 91 308 9165. We are available for any assistance and queries.”
Both missions said they are available to provide all necessary assistance and information to affected families.
Expressing sorrow over the tragedy, President Droupadi Murmu said, “Saddened by the news of a boat accident in Vietnam in which many Indian nationals lost their lives. My deep condolences to the grieving families. I pray for speedy recovery of the injured.”
PM Modi described the incident as deeply tragic. In a post on X, he said, “Extremely saddened to learn about the tragic news of a boat accident involving Indian nationals near Phu Quoc, Vietnam. My sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. My prayers for the early recovery of the injured survivors. Our Embassy and Consulate are providing all possible assistance. Our officials are also in close contact with the Vietnamese authorities.”
Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan also expressed deep anguish over the accident, offering his condolences to the bereaved families and praying for the swift recovery of those injured. He wished strength and courage to all those affected by the tragedy.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the accident involving Indian tourists. He expressed solidarity with the affected families, prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and hoped for the success of the ongoing search and rescue operations. He added that the Indian Embassy in Vietnam was extending all possible assistance to Indian nationals affected by the incident.
Indian diplomatic missions in Vietnam said they would continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as more information becomes available from the local authorities.
