15 Lava Mobiles associates on company trip among Vietnam boat tragedy victims

A Lava Mobiles incentive trip turned fatal when a tourist boat carrying Indian travellers capsized off Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam. The deaths of 15 Indians have triggered repatriation efforts and an investigation into the accident.

In Short

• Fourteen channel partners and one Lava employee were among the dead
• The group was on an incentive tour from three southern states
• A victim's final video call with family came before boarding

A company-sponsored reward trip organised by Lava Mobiles for its channel partners and employees ended in tragedy on Saturday after a tourist boat carrying Indian travellers capsized off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island, killing 15 Indians, most of them from southern India.

The victims included 14 Lava channel partners and one member of the company's team, the smartphone maker confirmed in a statement. The group was part of an incentive tour for distributors, sellers and business associates from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

According to the Indian Embassy in Hanoi, 36 people were on board the boat, including 32 Indian tourists and four local crew members. Twenty-one people were rescued, while 15 Indian tourists lost their lives. Among the dead were 10 people from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala.

Lava Mobiles said it was "deeply saddened" by the tragedy and that its immediate priority was supporting the affected families. The company said it was working closely with the Indian Embassy in Vietnam and local authorities to ensure the earliest possible repatriation of the victims' mortal remains.

One of those killed was 54-year-old Shaik Abdullah Abdul Majeed from Tiruchirappalli, a Lava channel partner. According to his family, Abdullah had spoken to his wife, son and infant granddaughter through a video call shortly before boarding the boat. He had informed them that he was heading to an island where mobile connectivity would be unavailable and promised to call again after returning. That conversation turned out to be his last.

"He saw the face of his granddaughter, a baby, and spoke to his wife and son in the morning. It became his final conversation with the family," a relative said.

Survivor Nirmal Kumar from Tamil Nadu's Palani said the speedboat overturned within seconds, reportedly due to high waves and possible overloading. He said most passengers were from Tamil Nadu and that two survivors remained in critical condition in hospital.

Another survivor, Ashish Kumar, a Lava distributor from Andhra Pradesh's Guntur, said the tourists had been divided into batches for island-hopping excursions. The boat carrying 32 Indian tourists had travelled only a few hundred metres from Hon May Rut Ngoai island when it suddenly capsized around 1.30 pm local time.

"We were taking pictures, and before we could react, the boat tipped over. We were all screaming for help," he said, adding that rescue teams reached the site quickly, PTI reported.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu and several chief ministers expressed condolences over the tragedy. State governments in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala said they were coordinating with the Centre and Indian authorities in Vietnam to bring the bodies home and extend assistance to the bereaved families.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island, is a popular tourist destination known for its beaches, coral reefs and island-hopping tours. The circumstances surrounding the capsize are under investigation.

- Ends