‘Sudden, violent wave’ flipped Vietnam boat in 3 mins: Survivor recounts ordeal

The speedboat that capsized in Vietnam, killing 15 Indian citizens, went upside down within three minutes of leaving harbour and barely crossing 300 meters, Nirmal Kumar, one of the survivors who arrived in Chennai on Monday (July 13) night, has recounted.

The speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and four local crew members capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai off Phu Quoc Island on July 11, killing 15 Indian tourists. Sixteen were rescued and have returned to India after receiving medical treatment, while one survivor remains in critical condition at a hospital in Phu Quoc.

Of the 15 victims, 10 were from Tamil Nadu, three were from Andhra Pradesh, and two were from Kerala. Two of the deceased were women.

Sudden, violent wave

Kumar, who stayed back to assist in the recovery operations, revealed that a sudden, violent wave capsized their closed speed boat just 300 meters into their journey, trapping 15 passengers underwater.

Speaking to PTI Videos, Kumar, who hails from Palani in Dindigul district, said the group had boarded the large, closed speed boat on July 11 to travel from one island to another during the final leg of their trip, which began on July 8.

Also read: Vietnam boat tragedy: Survivors blame lack of timely help

“Within three minutes of boarding and barely crossing 300 meters, the boat went upside down,” Kumar said.

“A massive, extremely rough wave hit the boat, causing it to tilt slightly. Suddenly, the passengers on the left side fell towards the right, shifting the entire weight and flipping the boat completely upside down,” he said.

Driver, guide first to jump out

Kumar narrated that the driver and the guide were the first to jump into the water. Seeing them, he and about 20 other passengers immediately jumped out and managed to escape. However, those seated in the back were not as fortunate.

“Because it was a closed boat, about 15 members got trapped inside. Even though they were wearing life jackets, the capsized boat pinned them down, and they couldn’t make it out,” he explained.

The rescue teams arrived at the spot within 10 minutes, pulling out the survivors who were floating outside. However, it took 20 to 30 minutes to recover those trapped underneath the vessel.

Emergency medicines could have saved lives

Kumar suffered a personal loss in the accident, revealing that his childhood friend, Muruga Prabhu, was among the deceased. “I only left Vietnam after ensuring his body was recovered and the necessary procedures were completed,” a distraught Kumar said.

Also read: Vietnam tragedy: We escaped through window of speedboat, says survivor

He said a doctor who was part of the tour group noted that a lack of immediate medical supplies on-site hampered initial life-saving efforts. “Our co-passenger doctor mentioned that if certain medicines had been readily available at the spot, four to five more lives could have been saved. We are explaining this to the Vietnam government,” Kumar stated.

Out of the 36 people on board, 10 victims belonged to Tamil Nadu: “Four from Chennai, three from Tiruchirapalli and one each from Salem, Erode, and Tiruppur,” he added.

Survivor seeks relief for victims’ families

The mortal remains of the victims reached Mumbai at 9.30 pm on July 13 and are scheduled to be flown into Chennai and Coimbatore on Tuesday morning. The government has coordinated all necessary arrangements to receive the bodies and hand them over to their respective families.

Expressing gratitude towards the Indian Embassy and the Vietnam government for their round-the-clock coordination, Kumar urged both the Central and state governments to extend financial assistance to the grieving families.

“It was an unexpected tragedy on foreign soil. The families are devastated, and it would be immensely helpful if the government could announce a relief package to support them,” Kumar appealed before leaving the airport.

Bodies of victims return home

The mortal remains of two Keralites who died in the boat tragedy in Vietnam arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday morning.

The bodies of AC Thomas (57) and his wife Loveni Thomas (56) landed at the airport in the morning from Mumbai and, after completion of official formalities, they will be transported by ambulance to their hometown in Kottarakkara.

Kerala ministers PC Vishnunadh and CP John, along with Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh, were present at the airport to receive the bodies and paid tributes to the couple by placing wreaths on the coffins.

Andhra Pradesh MSME Minister Kondapalli Srinivas on Monday said the mortal remains of the three Andhra Pradesh tourists who died in the tragedy were expected to reach Hyderabad on Tuesday morning after completion of statutory formalities in Mumbai.

(With agency inputs)