Vietnamese leaders extend condolences to India over deadly Phu Quoc tourist boat capsizing

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on Sunday sent separate messages of condolence to Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, respectively.

In their messages, the leaders reaffirmed that Vietnamese authorities are providing medical care to the injured, supporting victims' families, and working closely with India to address the aftermath.

They added that Vietnamese authorities are investigating the cause of the incident.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung also sent a message of condolence to Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

The accident occurred at around 1:00 pm on Saturday, when tourist speedboat AG-26751, carrying 36 people, including 32 Indian tourists, three crew members, and one tour guide, capsized off May Rut Ngoai Islet in the Phu Quoc Special Zone, an island in An Giang.

By 3:30 pm, rescue teams had recovered all 36 people, including 21 survivors and the bodies of 15 Indian nationals — 13 men and two women.

Immediately after being informed of the accident, Prime Minister Hung expressed his sympathy for the injured and his deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.

He instructed the Ministries of Public Security and Construction, authorities in An Giang, police, medical, coast guard, and border guard forces to rush to the scene, intensify rescue efforts, and deal with the aftermath of the accident.

Authorities in the Phu Quoc Special Zone said on Sunday that local agencies and relevant organizations are giving top priority to assisting survivors and the families of those who died while working to identify the deceased Indian tourists.

The tragedy comes as Vietnam has experienced a sharp increase in arrivals from India.

According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, Vietnam welcomed about 750,000 Indian visitors in 2025, nearly 50 percent more than the previous year and more than four times pre-COVID-19 levels.

As a result, India has become one of Vietnam's six largest international source markets.

During the first quarter of 2026, more than 242,600 Indian visitors arrived in Vietnam, up more than 169 percent year on year.

Popular destinations for Indian travelers include Phu Quoc, Da Nang, and Nha Trang.

In addition to independent travel, many Indian visitors now come in groups for business events combined with leisure trips, destination weddings, vacations, and cultural and culinary experiences.