A speedboat carrying tourists capsized off Hon May Rut Ngoai island, near Phu Quoc in Vietnam, on Saturday (11 July) afternoon.
The incident left 15 people, comprising two women and 13 men, dead.
The speedboat, operated by Ocean Pear Island Company, was transporting 32 Indian tourists, three crew members, and one Vietnamese tour guide from Hon May Rut Islet to An Thoi Port, about 25km from Phu Quoc Airport, at around 1pm.
Source: VnExpress
According to VnExpress, the vessel overturned roughly 400 metres off the islet, throwing all passengers into the sea.
Nearby tourist boats rushed to assist the victims after witnessing the accident.
However, rescue efforts were complicated as many passengers were trapped inside the overturned boat.
“Only a few people were brought out conscious,” a boat owner said, noting that while the sea was rough, there was no rain, and other tourist vessels were still operating in the area.
The An Thoi Border Guard dispatched two vessels with 35 personnel to the scene.
Authorities, including the navy and coast guard, began coordinated search-and-rescue operations.
Source: Cong an nhan dan
By the afternoon, rescuers brought all 36 people to shore.
While officials reported that 21 survived, 15 victims, including two women and 13 men, died.
The boat’s captain, in his 50s, reportedly had many years of experience operating passenger vessels.
Among the survivors, two were in critical condition. They were all transported to hospitals for emergency treatment.
The trip was part of a routine island-hopping tour, popular among tourists visiting May Rut Islet, which is known for its clear waters, white sands, and coral reefs.
May Rut Islet, comprising May Rut Trong and May Rut Ngoai, is typically reached by boat from An Thoi in 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the vessel.
Phu Quoc welcomed 5.7 million tourists in the first half of 2026, up 30% year-on-year.
Among those are 1.32 million foreign visitors, marking a 50% increase, according to the province’s Department of Tourism.
Also read: 4-year-old girl in Hat Yai found dead after boat capsizes during flood rescue operation
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Featured image adapted from VnExpress and Cong an nhan dan.