At least 15 tourists have died after a boat carrying 36 people capsized off the coast of a Vietnamese island on Saturday. Twenty-one passengers survived the disaster, with two taken to medical facilities in critical condition, according to local outlet VnExpress, as cited by Reuters. The boat was traveling from Hon May Rut Island to An Thoi Port when it capsized near Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island and one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, at around 1 p.m. local time. According to the outlets, rough seas and large waves were reported in the area at the time of the incident. Emergency services rushed to the scene, bringing victims ashore and providing medical assistance to the survivors. The 15 tourists who were reported dead were Indian nationals. In a statement, the Indian embassy in Vietnam described the incident as “tragic,” adding: “Exact details of the incident are being ascertained as search and rescue operations by local authorities are ongoing.” An investigation into the cause of the tragedy is underway.
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