Hanoi: The mortal remains of the 15 Indian nationals who died in a tragic boat accident near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam have left Ho Chi Minh City for Mumbai by a Vietnam Airlines flight and will arrive late Monday evening, the Embassy of India in Hanoi stated.
The state governments of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu will coordinate transportation of mortal remains to their final destinations in the respective states.
The Embassy of India in Vietnam also conveyed its gratitude to the Vietnamese authorities for the assistance provided.
“Embassy of India, Hanoi and the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City wish to convey sincere gratitude to authorities of Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone, An Giang Province as well as Department of Foreign Affairs, Ho Chi Minh City, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all other agencies for all the assistance provided following the tragic boat accident,” the Embassy wrote on X.
“We are grateful for the many messages of condolences and prayers from our Vietnamese friends. Your prayers, efforts and presence gave us strength in this extreme hour of grief,” it added.
Meanwhile, the Indian national undergoing treatment at Phu Quoc after the tragic boat accident successfully underwent a medical procedure on Sunday evening. According to the Indian Embassy, he was admitted in a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday and his family members have also arrived in country.
The Vietnamese police in southern An Giang province on Sunday detained and initiated criminal proceedings against a local man over alleged legal violations linked to the tourist boat that capsized.
The detainee was identified as 57-year-old captain Nguyen Hong Hai, a resident of Thuan Tien hamlet in Son Kien commune, An Giang province, who was temporarily residing in the Phu Quoc special zone.
According to preliminary reports, the boat was carrying around 32 Indian tourists, including 17 from Tamil Nadu, while the remaining passengers were from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala.
The vessel reportedly overturned while cruising in waters south of Phu Quoc, a popular tourist destination in southern Vietnam.
Soon after the incident, rescue teams, local residents, and emergency personnel rushed to the scene and launched a large-scale rescue operation.
(IANS)
