Mortal Remains of Vietnam Boat Capsize Victims Arrive at Chennai Airport

The mortal remains of Indian tourists who lost their lives in a tragic boat capsize incident in Vietnam arrived at the Chennai International Airport on Tuesday. Alongside the remains of the deceased, a survivor of the accident also returned to Chennai, recounting the harrowing details of the July 11 tragedy.

Nirmal Kumar, a survivor from Palani, arrived at the airport and shared a firsthand account of the incident. He explained that the speedboat capsized while traveling from one island to another. According to Kumar, 20 passengers sitting on the side of the boat managed to escape by jumping into the sea, but 15 others were trapped inside the closed cabin.

Kumar noted that it took 10 minutes for rescue teams to arrive, making the situation critical for those trapped inside the vessel. He credited both the Indian and Vietnamese governments for their support in recovering the bodies and providing medical assistance.

Among the victims was CB Vinay Kumar, a businessman from Vellore who had traveled to Vietnam to attend a distributors' conference. His father-in-law, while receiving the remains at the airport, expressed gratitude to the Tamil Nadu government, the central government, and Priyanka, an official at the Consulate of the Indian Government in Vietnam, for their swift response and constant communication.

Vellore Assembly Constituency MLA Vinoth, along with cadres from the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), also attended the airport to pay their respects. The deceased businessman's family expressed deep appreciation for the MLA's constant support during the crisis.

The accident occurred on July 11 when a tourist speedboat carrying 36 people, including 32 Indian tourists and four Vietnamese crew members, capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai Island off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island. The tragedy resulted in 15 fatalities among the Indian tourists, including 10 from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and two from Kerala. Visuals from the airport showed relatives and state officials laying floral wreaths as the airlines handed over the remains.