At least 15 Indian tourists killed as boat capsizes near Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island

At least 15 Indian tourists have died after a boat capsized near Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island, according to local reports cited by news agencies. The vessel overturned on Saturday while carrying Indian nationals in waters off the island, which lies in southern Vietnam. Search and rescue operations are continuing as authorities work to establish the full scale of the incident.

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The boat was travelling from Hon May Rut Island to An Thoi Port when it overturned about 400 metres out at sea, according to reports cited by local media. Officials have not yet released a final account of how many people were on board or whether all passengers have been accounted for. The Indian mission in Vietnam said exact details were still being investigated by local authorities.

The Indian Embassy in Hanoi said it had set up control rooms to provide information and assistance, including one at the consulate general in Ho Chi Minh City and another at the embassy in Hanoi. The embassy said the control rooms were available for queries and support as the search and rescue effort continued. It also said the incident involved several Indian tourists and described it as tragic.

The reported deaths make this one of the most serious maritime incidents involving foreign tourists in the area in recent months. Phu Quoc is Vietnam's largest island and a major tourist destination, which means any accident involving visitors can quickly become a consular and emergency response issue as well as a local rescue operation. The rough sea conditions reported at the time may also become relevant to investigators as they examine what caused the vessel to capsize.

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The incident comes as Vietnam's local authorities continue to investigate the circumstances, including the condition of the sea and the sequence of events before the boat overturned. The Indian mission's response suggests a focus on consular assistance alongside the emergency operation. For now, the key questions are how many people were on board, whether any remain missing, and what led to the vessel's loss of stability.

Further updates are likely to come from local authorities and the Indian mission as rescue teams continue their work. The death toll could change if more passengers are found or if additional information emerges from the investigation. What remains unclear is the exact number of survivors and whether the boat's route, weather, or other factors played the decisive role in the capsizing.

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