At least 15 Indian tourists have been killed after a tourist boat capsized near Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island on Saturday, which prompted an extensive search and rescue operation by local authorities.
The boat
was carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew members when it overturned due to choppy waters near Hon May Rut Ngoai Island off Phu Quoc. Videos on social media, not verified independently by CNN-News18, showed local authorities carrying out rescue operations.
🚨 BREAKING: TOURIST SPEEDBOAT SINKS OFF PHU QUOC
A speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists sank near Hon May Rut Ngoai, Phu Quoc, at around 10:30 a.m. on July 11.
🛟 18 people had been rescued by early afternoon.
⚠️ Authorities say fatalities are feared, but the official death… pic.twitter.com/rTkrbZ6GQp— NGO-SUGAR (@ngosugartp) July 11, 2026
Boat capsizes in Phu Quoc, 18 dead. Most of tourits are Indian pic.twitter.com/VmwDdha0Hn
— Linh (@holinh87) July 11, 2026
Another angle captures the desperate rescue effort after the speedboat capsized off Phu Quoc.
Heartbreaking scenes — but also extraordinary courage from rescuers and local boats racing against time to save lives.
Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and everyone… pic.twitter.com/YuUHvPIDkD
— NGO-SUGAR (@ngosugartp) July 11, 2026
Officials managed to rescue 21 people, including three crew members and an attendant. The Indian embassy in Vietnam confirmed the incident, saying it had established emergency response centres in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to assist affected families.
“In a tragic incident, a boat carrying several Indian tourists has capsized near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam a few hours ago. Exact details of the incident are being ascertained as search and rescue operations by local authorities are ongoing,” it said on X.
In a tragic incident, a boat carrying several Indian tourists has capsized near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam a few hours ago.
Exact details of the incident are being ascertained as search and rescue operations by local authorities are ongoing.
In order to provide information…
— India in Vietnam (@AmbHanoi) July 11, 2026
What Happened?
The speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists was travelling from Hon May Rut Island to An Thoi Port when it overturned about 400 metres from shore, according to local media. The area was reportedly experiencing rough sea conditions.
Local authorities rushed to the scene to initiate rescue operations. One of the boat operators involved in the rescue told VnExpress that his vessel reached the site within about five minutes, but several passengers were trapped inside the capsized boat, which complicated rescue operations.
This took place almost a year after another boat tragedy in Vietnam last year. In July 2025, a tourist boat carrying 48 people, including at least 20 children, capsized in Ha Long Bay during a sudden thunderstorm, killing at least 39 passengers. It was considered as the deadliest naval accident in Vietnam in over 20 years.
