🚨 OUR TOP PRIORITY IS RESCUE… — OFFICIALS SP...

🚨 OUR TOP PRIORITY IS RESCUE… — OFFICIALS SPEAK OUT AFTER A TOURIST BOAT CAPSIZED OFF THE COAST OF A POPULAR ISLAND, LEAVING AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE

There were 32 tourists and four crew members on board the boat at the time of the tragic incident.

Ambulances on a pier after a tourist boat capsized off Phu Quoc Island.Credit : AFP via Getty

At least 15 people were killed after a boat carrying tourists capsized off the coast of a popular island.

The tragedy occurred near Phu Quoc at around 1 p.m. local time on Saturday, July 11, Vietnam News and Reuters reported. There were 32 Indian tourists and four crew members on board the boat at the time of the incident.

According to the outlets, the tourists were traveling from Hòn Mây Rút Ngoài back to An Thới Port on a vessel, reportedly operated by the Ocean Pearl Island Company, when it overturned less than a mile away from Hòn Mây Rút Ngoài Island amid high waves and strong wind conditions, per VN Express.

First responders at the scene after a boat capsized in Vietnam.AFP via Getty Images

Emergency services were quickly sent to the scene, according to Vietnam News and VN Express. First responders reportedly rushed 21 survivors to medical facilities for treatment, including two who were in critical condition.

“The top priority is rescue, bringing all victims ashore and focusing all efforts on providing emergency care to those who are still alive,” Mr. Nguyen Tien Hai, Secretary of the An Giang Provincial Party Committee, told VN Express.

A report on the incident has been submitted to the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, according to Vietnam News.

An investigation has been launched into the cause of the incident.

“Exact details of the incident are being ascertained as search and rescue operations by local authorities are ongoing,” the Embassy of India in Hanoi, Vietnam, wrote on X.

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Hòn Mây Rút Ngoài is a popular tourist destination in Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island. It is known for its clear blue waters and white sands.

Visitors usually reach the destination within 20 to 40 minutes on a boat, per VN Express.

The Embassy of India in Hanoi, Vietnam, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, nor did the Ocean Pearl Island Company.

SOURCE: https://people.com/at-least-15-tourists-killed-after-boat-capsizes-off-the-coast-of-popular-island-12016587