"Big tragedy": Foreign expert Waiel Awwad expresses grief on Vietnam boat-capsize
New Delhi, July 12
Foreign Expert, Middle East, Waiel Awwad offered condolences to the victims and the kin of of Vietnam boat-capsize tragedy.
Awwad, in a conversation with ANI, said that after seeing that there are warnings being issued in countries like China, people should avoid going to sea.
"This is a very painful tragedy that happened in the sea, especially at the time when there is a warning that there is a storm that has been happening in the region, and China has evacuated more than 2 million. Indonesia, China, and everybody were affected. I don't understand how these people can go into the sea. There was a warning not to go. Heartfelt condolences to the family who lost their loved one. I believe this is a big tragedy for those people who wanted to celebrate," he said.
An Indian survivor of the boat tragedy near Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island has recounted the horrifying moments when the tourist boat capsized within seconds due to "sudden storm" and said that rescue teams responded swiftly, but medical facilities on the nearby island should have been better and could have helped save lives.
A tourist speedboat carrying 36 people, including 32 Indian tourists, capsized off the coast of Vietnam's Phu Quoc island.
The Indian Embassy in Vietnam later confirmed that all 15 people killed in the accident were Indian tourists.
Speaking with ANI, Nirmal Kumar, one of the survivors of the accident, said the boat was carrying 32 passengers and was going from one island to another when it was struck by rough weather.
"When we were moving from one island to the next island, a sudden storm came, suddenly within a second, the boat was going upside down. We were on the front side and came out by jumping into the sea. Those who were inside got trapped, and since the boat was upside down, they were unable to come outside the boat. We were thirty-two on the boat, but in total, we had one hundred and five people," he said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is so unfortunate. 15 Indian lives lost... and for what? Just a pleasure trip that went wrong due to negligence. The survivor's account about medical facilities being inadequate is concerning. If the nearby island had better emergency services, maybe more lives could have been saved. Hope the Indian embassy takes this up with Vietnamese authorities.
While I feel for the victims, I question why tour operators ignored warnings. China evacuated millions, and even Indonesia was affected—yet they sent tourists into the sea? This is criminal negligence, not just a "tragedy." The tourism industry needs accountability, not just condolences.
This incident reminds us of the 2017 boat tragedy in Kerala. Sudden storms are becoming more frequent due to climate change. Nations like Vietnam, China, and India must invest in better weather prediction systems and coastal rescue infrastructure. Condolences to all affected families. 😔
A bitter loss for the Indian community. As someone who loves to travel, this is a wake-up call. We need to be more vigilant about local weather conditions and check the safety records of tour operators. Kudos to the survivors for their bravery, but the pain of losing 15 fellow Indians is unbearable.
It's tragic that these people died while on a holiday. I appreciate the foreign expert's words, but the focus should be on how the boat operator ignored weather warnings. The Indian government should issue travel advisories for regions prone to storms. This could have been prevented.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.