Hanoi, Jul 11 : Fifteen people, including Indian tourists, are feared dead in a boat capsize incident near Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island on Saturday, according to a local media report. According to Vietnamese news portal VN Express International, the speedboat was carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew members from Hon May Rut to An Thoi Port when it capsized about 400 metres off Hon May Rut Ngoai, throwing everyone on board into the sea. 

Citing initial information from authorities in the Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone, the news portal said nearby tourist boats rushed to assist before border guards, the navy, the coast guard and other forces joined the search-and-rescue operation. A total of 15 people were killed, it said. Earlier, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi said that it set up control rooms as search and rescue operations would continue.  But the Indian mission is yet to share details about the deaths.

"In a tragic incident, a boat carrying several Indian tourists has capsized near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam," the embassy said in a post on X. It said control rooms have been established at the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City and at the Embassy in Hanoi to provide information and assistance. The first control room can be reached at: +84 36 281 7930, +84 91 552 37 14 and +84 33 452 0414. The other one in Hanoi can be reached at: +84 91 308 9165. They are available for any assistance and queries, the Indian mission said.

/ Agencies