Vietnamese leaders extend condolences over Indian casualties in Phu Quoc tourist boat accident

Vietnamese leaders have sent messages of condolences to Indian leaders upon learning that a tourist boat capsized in bad weather in Vietnam's Mekong Delta province of An Giang on July 11, resulting in heavy casualties among Indian tourists.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam and Prime Minister Le Minh Hung extended condolences to Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In their messages, the Vietnamese leaders extended their heartfelt sympathies and deepest condolences to the State and people of India, especially the families of the victims.

Indian tourists rescued from a boat accident in Phu Quoc, southern Vietnam, July 11, 2026. Photo by Minh Tam

They affirmed that Vietnamese authorities have been swiftly deploying search-and-rescue operations, providing medical treatment to the injured, assisting the victims' families, and working closely with their Indian counterparts to address the aftermath of the incident.

The same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung also cabled a similar message to his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

The tourist speedboat overturned at 1 p.m. on Saturday in waters off An Thoi in the Phu Quoc Special Zone, leaving 15 Indian tourists dead.

Investigators and other competent forces immediately conducted a scene examination, gathered evidence and documents, and recorded statements from those involved to determine the cause of the accident.

The captain, Nguyen Hong Hai, 57, a resident of Thuan Tien Hamlet, Son Kien Commune, An Giang Province, who was temporarily staying in Phu Quoc, was detained on Sunday.

The investigation is ongoing to ensure any violations are strictly dealt with under Vietnamese law.