Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 13 (ANI): A flight carrying the mortal remains of Indian nationals who lost their lives in the tragic boat accident off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island arrived at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Monday evening.

The Indian Embassy in Vietnam said it would continue to coordinate with state governments to facilitate the onward transportation of the mortal remains to their respective hometowns.

'The flight transporting the mortal remains of the Indian nationals who had lost their lives in the tragic boat accident on 11 July in Phu Quoc has just arrived in Mumbai. The Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City will continue to coordinate with respective State Governments to ensure that the mortal remains reach the bereaved families at the earliest. Our prayers are with the families of the deceased,' the Embassy said in a post on X.

Earlier in the day, the Embassy had informed that the mortal remains of 15 Indian nationals departed from Ho Chi Minh City aboard Vietnam Airlines flight VN979.

It said the respective state governments had already been informed and requested to coordinate the onward transportation of the victims to their final destinations. The Embassy and the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City also thanked the authorities of the Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone, An Giang Province, the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other agencies for extending all possible assistance in the aftermath of the tragedy.

The tragedy stuck on July 11 when a tourist speedboat carrying 36 people, including 32 Indian tourists and four Vietnamese crew members, capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai Island off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island.

According to Vietnamese authorities, the vessel, operated by Ocean Pearl Island Company, was ferrying tourists from Hon May Rut Islet to An Thoi Port, around 25 kilometres from Phu Quoc Airport, when it encountered rough weather and overturned, throwing everyone on board into the sea.

Nearby tourist boats rushed to the accident site within minutes and rescue teams subsequently brought all passengers ashore. Of the 36 people on board, 21 survived while 15 tourists lost their lives.

Ten of the victims were from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Keralam.

Following the accident, the Indian mission worked closely with Vietnamese authorities to complete identification, documentation and consular procedures for the victims while also extending assistance to survivors and their families.

The Embassy also provided an update on the lone critically injured Indian survivor, stating that the patient had successfully undergone a medical procedure before being shifted from Phu Quoc to a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for advanced treatment.

'The Indian national undergoing treatment at Phu Quoc after the tragic boat accident successfully underwent a medical procedure yesterday evening. He was admitted to a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City today. His family members have also arrived in Ho Chi Minh City. We continue to pray for his early recovery,' the Embassy said.

The Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Keralam made arrangements to receive and transport the mortal remains after their arrival in Mumbai.

Andhra Pradesh Bhavan stated that, following the intervention of Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu and consultations with the Indian Embassy in Vietnam, detailed arrangements had been finalised for transhipment.

The three mortal remains belonging to Andhra Pradesh were scheduled to be flown to Hyderabad before being transported by road to Machilipatnam, Kadapa and Hindupur under the supervision of state officials. Tamil Nadu and Keralam also appointed specialised handling agencies to facilitate the transportation of the deceased to their hometowns.

In Keralam, the mortal remains of AC Thomas (57) and his wife Loveni Thomas (56) from Kottarakkara in Kollam district were expected to be flown from Mumbai to Thiruvananthapuram, where the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) Department would coordinate their transportation to their residence. Family members of the couple described receiving the news of the tragedy as a devastating shock and said they had been in constant contact with the Indian Embassy and state authorities.

Meanwhile, several survivors returned to India on Sunday night. Survivors arriving at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport recounted the horrifying moments when the boat overturned within seconds after being struck by high waves. They praised the swift rescue efforts by local responders while also pointing to the challenges faced during emergency medical treatment on the island.

The Vietnamese Government launched a large-scale response following the accident. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs constituted dedicated working groups to assist the victims' families, provide legal and consular support and coordinate with Indian diplomatic missions.

Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang led a delegation to oversee relief efforts, while the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations arranged for the transfer and preservation of the mortal remains at the city's Forensic Medicine Centre and established round-the-clock assistance teams for grieving families. The Vietnamese Government also coordinated immigration procedures for representatives from Tamil Nadu travelling to Vietnam to facilitate the repatriation process.

Vietnamese authorities have also initiated a criminal investigation into the incident.

Throughout the operation, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City maintained close coordination with Vietnamese authorities, the Ministry of External Affairs, state governments and airport authorities to ensure the dignified repatriation of the victims. With the arrival of the mortal remains in Mumbai, state administrations have now begun the phase of transporting the deceased to their hometowns. (ANI)