Vietnam boat tragedy: Survivors blame lack of timely medical aid for lost lives

Survivors of the Vietnam tourist boat tragedy criticised the lack of emergency medical facilities, saying delayed treatment may have cost lives. Fifteen Indian tourists died after the boat capsized near Phu Quoc Island, while rescued passengers recalled desperate attempts to save victims

Hyderabad/Amaravati:  Survivors of the Vietnam tourist boat tragedy expressed outrage over the absence of timely medical preparedness and trained personnel at the site of the accident that claimed several lives, saying they were forced to perform CPR in a desperate attempt to save fellow passengers pulled from the sea.

A total of 20 tourists from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana who survived the Vietnam boat tragedy arrived in Hyderabad on a flight late on Sunday after being repatriated from Vietnam.

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A tourist speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists, three crew members and an attendant capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai off Phu Quoc Island on Saturday while returning to An Thoi Port in Vietnam. Fifteen Indian tourists were killed and 21 others were rescued, with two survivors remaining in critical condition.

Govinda, a native of Rajahmundry and an employee of the mobile company that organised the trip, recounted the desperate moments on the island.

“There was no proper medical team on the island. We did whatever we could with the little knowledge we had. We performed CPR and tried to keep people alive, but many slipped away before our eyes. Had trained doctors, oxygen support and even basic emergency facilities been available, some of them could have survived,” he told PTI Videos.

According to him, 35 people were on board and many were rescued from the sea, but there were no trained doctors on the island to administer CPR or provide emergency treatment.

He said the Boat’s crew, jet ski operators and members of their own group rushed to rescue passengers immediately after the vessel overturned. However, professional medical assistance arrived much later.

“Everyone tried to help. We managed to save some people, but official medical help arrived much later. We requested an air ambulance, but were told one was not available. Ambulance boats came only after some time and the critically injured were shifted later,” he added.

Of the 29 tourists from Andhra Pradesh who were part of the trip, 26 survived while three lost their lives.

Govind was travelling in the second boat when the accident occurred about 400 metres away.

“The first boat had already left while we were preparing to start. Suddenly, we saw it tilt before capsizing. We heard people screaming for help and rushed towards them immediately,” he said.

Quoting survivors from the capsized boat, he said strong waves forced the captain to slow down, triggering panic among the passengers.

As frightened passengers moved to one side, the boat became unstable, tilted further and eventually overturned.

“We ourselves tried to revive those who had stopped breathing. We saved one or two people, but many were in a critical condition. If qualified medical personnel had been there, at least five or six more lives might have been saved,” he said.

For many, the tragedy was deeply personal.

Govind shared the experience of watching his longtime associates perish. Among the three deceased from Andhra Pradesh were Sudheer, a businessman he had known for a decade and Jayalakshmi, the wife of Gelle Kishore, a close friend for 20 years.

“Watching people you have known for years die in front of you, while feeling completely helpless, is something I can never forget,” he said.

Harihar Srinivas, another survivor from West Godavari district, narrowly escaped the tragedy because he was waiting to board a separate boat nearby when the accident unfolded.

The ill-fated first boat had travelled barely 100 metres after leaving the island when the strong water currents caused it to tilt to one side and capsize.

“It all happened within moments. We could only watch in horror as the boat suddenly overturned,” said Srinivas, who witnessed the incident from a distance of around 100 metres.

He noted that all passengers had been provided with life jackets and rescue personnel responded immediately after the accident.

While Srinivas appreciated the promptness of the rescue operation, he echoed other survivor’s concerns over the lack of emergency medical preparedness at the tourist destination.

“The rescue operation was quick, but there should have been better planning to handle medical emergencies. Timely medical intervention could have made a difference,” he added.

He clarified that the tour was a company-organised trip comprising those from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu all of whom had arrived in Vietnam on July 8.

Providing a status update on the victims from Andhra Pradesh, he said three bodies were being repatriated to the state, while another tourist who remained in a serious condition has been shifted to a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City and is responding well to treatment.

Govind said this was his first trip organised by the company and that such an accident had never occurred during its earlier tours.