In the days since a tourist speedboat capsized off Vietnam's Phu Quoc island and killed 15 Indian holidaymakers, questions have swirled about whether a slow rescue response made the death toll worse. Now, for the first time, the man overseeing the island's response is pushing back.
Tran Minh Khoa, Chairman of the Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone, says that narrative simply doesn't match what happened on the ground, and he's laying out, in more detail than officials have shared before, exactly how that afternoon played out and how Hanoi and Delhi scrambled to respond.
What happened
The boat, called Ocean Pearl Island, was carrying about 32 Indian tourists, three crew members, and a Vietnamese guide toward An Thoi International Port when it went down around 1 pm on July 11, roughly 400 metres off Hon May Rut Ngoai island. Officials say the weather deteriorated rapidly.
The first people on the scene, Khoa says, weren't soldiers or coast guard personnel—they were local residents. Under Vietnam's “four-on-the-spot” emergency system, nearby residents used their own boats and headed out within minutes while alerting authorities. Border guards, the military, police, coast guard, navy, and medical teams followed soon after, working through high waves and strong winds that also put rescuers at risk.
All 36 people on board were eventually pulled from the water and brought ashore, where locals began CPR and first aid before medical teams arrived to transfer the injured to hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City. Despite those efforts, 15 people died. Seventeen others remained hospitalized for treatment.
A fast-moving diplomatic response
Behind the scenes, Khoa describes extensive coordination between Vietnamese officials, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provincial leaders, hospital administrators, and Indian diplomats in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
An Giang's provincial chief flew to the island to oversee the response. A hospital director also arrived on the afternoon of the accident. Police expedited procedures so the bodies of the victims could be repatriated quickly at the request of India's Consulate General. By July 13, all 15 victims had been flown back to India, arriving that night. Khoa says the effort was made to respect the wishes of the bereaved families.
One tourist, whose recovery has been complicated by pre-existing health conditions, remains in intensive care at Cho Ray Hospital with specialist treatment. Khoa says the province is covering all medical and transportation costs. He also states that India's ambassador and consul general thanked Vietnam for its response, describing the country as a “trusted friend” during a difficult time.
Weather, but also a criminal investigation
According to preliminary findings, sudden and severe weather appears to have caused the accident. However, the incident is also the subject of a criminal investigation. On July 12, investigators opened a case and took the boat's operator into custody while determining whether anyone bears legal responsibility. Khoa says the investigation is ongoing, with additional findings expected later.
