15 Indian tourists died after a speedboat carrying 32 Indians and four Vietnamese crew members capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai Island off Phu Quoc on July 11. The bodies of the victims were repatriated to India on Monday, while one critically injured tourist continues to receive treatment in Vietnam.Meanwhile, Vietnamese police have placed the boat’s captain, Nguyen Hong Hai, under investigation for alleged violations of inland waterway transport safety regulations.Amid the ongoing investigation, Tran Minh Khoa, chairman of the Phu Quoc special economic zone, addressed questions on the rescue operation, the circumstances surrounding the accident and the status of the official investigation.There have been reports suggesting that the high death toll in the incident involving the speedboat carrying Indian tourists in Phu Quoc was due to delays in rescue operations. Could you clarify whether this is true? Also, what did the actual rescue response look like when the incident occurred?The information referred to above does not accurately reflect the actual circumstances of the incident response, nor the tireless rescue and relief efforts undertaken by local residents and the Vietnamese authorities.At approximately 1pm on July 11, 2026, under severe weather conditions, the tourist speedboat Ocean Pearl Island, carrying approximately 32 Indian tourists, three crew members and one Vietnamese tour guide, capsized about 400 metres from Hon May Rut Ngoai island while en route to An Thoi International Port.Immediately, local residents and personnel operating in the vicinity of the accident site mobilized available vessels, speedboats and motorized craft to conduct rescue operations. These responders formed part of the local “four-on-the-spot” force under the locality’s standing search and rescue plan. At the same time, they promptly notified the local authorities and relevant agencies.Upon receiving the information, and within the shortest time, leaders of the Phu Quoc Special Administrative Zone, together with border guard, military, police, coast guard, naval and medical forces, as well as other relevant agencies and rescue assets, arrived at the scene to conduct search-and-rescue operations, provide emergency medical assistance and treatment to victims, and secure the accident site.Despite extremely challenging weather conditions, including high waves and strong winds, both local residents and rescue personnel courageously participated in the rescue effort, notwithstanding the risks to their own safety. Their swift actions helped minimize casualties and ensured that all 36 persons on board were recovered and brought ashore at Hon May Rut Ngoai Island. Immediate first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) were administered. Subsequently, professional rescue and medical teams joined local residents in providing emergency assistance and rapidly transported all 36 victims to An Thoi port, from where they were transferred to Sun International Hospital and Military hospital 178 of Naval Region 5 for further examination and treatment.Regrettably, despite these extensive efforts, 15 individuals lost their lives. 17 survivors were successfully rescued and continued to receive dedicated medical care at Sun International Hospital.In accordance with the directions of the senior leadership of the Party and Vietnam, relevant authorities—including the ministry of foreign affairs, the ministry of construction, the Ho Chi Minh city department of foreign affairs, the People’s Committee of An Giang Province, the Phu Quoc special administrative zone, and other competent local agencies—made every possible effort and worked closely with the Embassy of India in Hanoi and the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City to urgently implement citizen protection measures, minimize loss of life, and address the consequences of the incident.Ho Van Mung, Chairman of the People’s Committee of An Giang Province, closely monitored developments and directly instructed the Chairman of the Phu Quoc special administrative zone and relevant authorities in handling the aftermath of the accident, before personally travelling to the site. Two Vice Chairpersons of the Phu Quoc special administrative zone were promptly deployed to the An Thoi area to direct response and recovery efforts. A deputy director of Kien Giang General hospital was also dispatched to the island on the afternoon of 11 July.Special task forces remained on duty around the clock at the hospitals and coordinated closely with the Indian side in providing emergency treatment, medical care and support to the injured tourists. At the same time, the police expedited all necessary legal procedures in accordance with requests from officials of the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City to facilitate the early repatriation of the remains of the 15 deceased victims.On the morning of July 12, 2026, the remains of the 15 victims were transported from the island to the mainland by a dedicated ferry. They were subsequently transferred to the Ho Chi Minh City forensic centre at 8:00 pm the same day for preservation and processing in accordance with applicable regulations. On the afternoon of July 13, 2026, the remains were repatriated to India and arrived at approximately 9:30 pm local time on July 13, 2026, in accordance with the wishes of the victims’ families.The remaining tourists departed Phu Quoc in stable health conditions. Only one seriously injured tourist, whose condition was compounded by pre-existing medical issues, continued to receive intensive and comprehensive treatment at Sun International Hospital, with both direct support from the Head of the intensive care unit of Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City and remote consultation from specialists at the same hospital. On the morning of July 13, the patient was transferred to Cho Ray Hospital for continued treatment and care. All transportation and medical expenses were fully covered by An Giang Province.The rescue operation, medical treatment of the injured, handling of the deceased, and citizen protection measures were carried out in a prompt, responsible and humanitarian manner, in full accordance with Vietnamese law and international practice. Leaders of the People’s Committee of An Giang Province and the Phu Quoc special administrative zone regularly visited victims at hospitals, provided encouragement and support, and coordinated with businesses to offer financial assistance to both survivors and the families of those who lost their lives.The Ambassador of India to Viet Nam and the Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City highly appreciated and expressed their gratitude for the attention and support provided by the Vietnamese leadership, the dedicated efforts of the competent authorities, the timely assistance of local residents, and the contributions of relevant ministries, agencies, An Giang Province and the Phu Quoc Special Administrative Zone. They affirmed that Viet Nam had proven to be a trusted friend of India in a time of hardship.To what extent has the Vietnamese side investigated and clarified the cause of the speedboat sinking so far? How will the individuals involved be dealt with?The leaders of the Party and the State of Vietnam have attached the utmost importance to this tragic incident and have directed the relevant Vietnamese authorities to urgently implement rescue and relief measures, provide medical treatment to the injured, support the families of the victims, and closely coordinate with the Indian side in addressing the consequences of the accident. At the same time, they have instructed the competent authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and establish the cause of the incident.In line with the directions of Viet Nam’s senior leadership, the People’s Committee of An Giang province has instructed the relevant authorities to promptly investigate the accident and strictly address any violations committed by organizations or individuals, should any be identified. The An Giang provincial police and other competent authorities have conducted examinations of the accident scene, collected relevant evidence and documentation, and taken statements from persons concerned in order to determine the cause of the accident.Preliminary findings indicate that the accident was caused by severe, unusual and rapidly changing weather conditions. However, in order to fully establish the cause of the incident and ensure strict compliance with the law, at 2pm on July 12, 2026, the investigation police agency of An Giang Province initiated a criminal investigation and placed the speedboat operator in temporary custody for investigation into alleged violations of legal regulations related to the accident. The competent authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the responsibilities of all relevant individuals and organizations in accordance with the law.Once the investigation and verification process has been completed and official conclusions are available, we will provide further information accordingly.