Boat accident off island in Vietnam's south kills 15: state media
Asia
By
AFP
| Jul 11, 2026
Boat accident off island in Vietnam's south kills 15 people, state media reports. [File, Standard]
A speedboat carrying Indian tourists capsized off southern Vietnam's Phu Quoc island on Saturday, killing at least 15 people, state media reported.
The boat was carrying 36 people when it overturned around 400 metres (440 yards) off May Rut Ngoai islet, according to the VNExpress website.
Multiple tourist and coast guard boats participated in a rescue effort during which some people were plucked safely from the water.
Nguyen Tien Hai, a provincial official of the ruling Communist Party, said authorities were still confirming the exact number of survivors, according to the state media report.
READ MORE
More workers turn to affordable digital salary advances to survive a tough economy
How pre-import vehicle inspection reforms birthed monopoly, unending court battles
KRA posts strong growth in tax collection
Dockers smile to the bank after pay hike in new CBA
Why Kenyans are cashing out retirement savings earlier
EU pushes Kenya to diversify exports beyond agriculture
Kenya to raise its stakes in Africa insurer
Sidian Bank, KBA and CISI partner to strengthen credit risk skills
Hai said initial assessments suggested that the speedboat may have overturned due to heavy winds and high waves.
Located just south of Vietnam's largest island Phu Quoc, May Rut Ngoai is known for its pristine blue waters, white sand beaches and accessible diving reefs.
Visitors often access the islet by speedboat from the main island.
Phu Quoc has seen a major tourism boom in recent years, with more than 1.8 million foreigners visiting the island last year.