"Boat flipped in three minutes": a survivor of the Vietnam boat tragedy describes the horror
Nirmal Kumar, a survivor of the Vietnam speedboat catastrophe, described how a powerful wave overturned the craft near Phu Quoc Island on July 11, killing 15 Indian tourists—10 from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and two from Kerala.

Nirmal Kumar, one of the survivors who landed here on July 13 night, described how a normal island-to-island crossing turned lethal within minutes in a horrifying first-hand account of the Vietnam speed boat catastrophe.

On July 11, a speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and four local crew members sank at Hon May Rut Ngoai off Phu Quoc Island, killing 15 Indian visitors.

Sixteen survivors were rescued and repatriated to India following medical care, while one remains in severe condition at a Phu Quoc hospital.

Ten casualties were from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and two from Kerala. Two victims were women.

Kumar, who stayed to help rescue the boat, said a powerful wave swamped their closed speed boat 300 meters into their voyage, burying 15 passengers.

Kumar, from Palani in Dindigul district, told PTI Videos that the party boarded a huge, closed speed boat on July 11 to move from one island to another on the last stage of their vacation, which began on July 8.

“The boat went upside down within three minutes of boarding and barely crossing 300 meters,” Kumar claimed.

“A massive, extremely rough wave tilted the boat slightly. He stated the left passengers tumbled to the right, changing the weight and toppling the boat over.

The driver and guide jumped into the lake first, Kumar said. He and 20 other passengers leaped out and escaped after seeing them. Backseat passengers were less lucky.

About 15 people were trapped in the confined boat. They couldn't escape the capsized boat despite wearing life jackets, he said.

Inside 10 minutes, rescue personnel pulled out the survivors floating outdoors. Recovery took 20–30 minutes for individuals trapped under the vessel.

Kumar revealed that his boyhood buddy Muruga Prabhu died in the disaster. “I only left Vietnam after ensuring his body was recovered and the necessary procedures were completed,” a saddened Kumar added.

He added a tour doctor noticed that a shortage of timely medical supplies impeded life-saving attempts. “Our co-passenger doctor said four to five more lives could have been saved if certain medicines were available. Kumar said the Vietnam government is being informed.

A large percentage of the 36 passengers and staff members were from Tamil Nadu. Kumar said 10 victims were state-owned.

He said, “Four from Chennai, three from Tiruchirapalli and one each from Salem, Erode, and Tiruppur.”

The victims' bodies arrived in Mumbai at 9.30 pm on July 13 and would be transported into Chennai and Coimbatore on Tuesday morning. The government has made all plans to receive and return the remains to their relatives.

Kumar thanked the Indian Embassy and the Vietnam government for their 24/7 cooperation and requested the Central and state governments to help the mourning families financially. An unforeseen catastrophe occurred abroad. Before departing the airport, Kumar asked the government to provide a relief package for the affected family.