HANOI, Vietnam, July 13, 2026 (AP) — The bodies of 15 Indian tourists who were killed when a speedboat capsized off southern Vietnam last week were being returned home Monday.
The speedboat was carrying 32 Indian tourists and four Vietnamese crew members when it overturned near the shore Saturday afternoon, shortly after leaving Hon May Rut Ngoai island near Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, authorities said.
The boat’s captain, Nguyen Hong Hai, 57, is under investigation for alleged violations of waterway transport safety regulations, state media reported.
The flight carrying the remains from Ho Chi Minh City would arrive in Mumbai late Monday, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi said on social media. It said the home states were asked to coordinate further travel. Ten of the dead were from Tamil Nadu state, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala.
Lava International, a smartphone and consumer electronics manufacturer, based in Noida city in Uttar Pradesh, said the group was on a company trip for its employees, distributors and retail partners.
The company says it sells its products through a network of more than 165,000 retailers and over 1,000 distributors across India and exports its products across Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
The embassy previously said 16 survivors were released from the hospital and were returning to India. One remained in critical condition in a Vietnamese hospital.
Hon May Rut island is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Phu Quoc, one of Vietnam’s most popular beach destinations. Both are known for their white sandy beaches and clear waters, drawing millions of domestic and foreign tourists each year.
India is one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing tourism markets.
