The mortal remains of 15 Indian tourists killed in the Vietnam speedboat tragedy were brought back to India on July 13, 2026.
The remains arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, via Vietnam Airlines flight VN979 from Ho Chi Minh City. The flight landed at around 9:20 pm IST.
Of the victims, 10 were from Tamil Nadu, 3 from Andhra Pradesh, and 2 from Kerala. State governments coordinated onward transportation to their respective hometowns.
Tamil Nadu deputed a special officer to oversee the transfer, with bodies flown to Chennai and Coimbatore. Kerala’s NORKA arranged for the remains to reach Thiruvananthapuram before being sent to Kollam. Andhra Pradesh officials worked with the Ministry of External Affairs for repatriation.
The tragedy occurred on July 11 near Hon May Rut Ngoai, off Phu Quoc Island, when a speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and 4 Vietnamese crew capsized. Severe weather and overcrowding are suspected causes. Seventeen Indians survived, with 16 discharged and one still critical in Phu Quoc.
The Indian Embassy in Hanoi and Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City expressed condolences and thanked Vietnamese authorities for their assistance.
