Amaravati:
The Andhra Pradesh government has launched round-the-clock relief and repatriation efforts following a tourist boat tragedy off Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island that claimed the lives of three residents of the state and left another critically injured.
A speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists capsized during a leisure excursion on Saturday, leaving 15 Indian nationals dead, including 10 from Tamil Nadu, and two from Kerala.
The victims from Andhra Pradesh have been identified as Nallapeta Adiseshaiah Ravi Teja, 41, of Hindupuram in the Sri Sathya Sai district, Mudium Sreedhar of Kadapa and Gelli Jaya Lakshmi of Machilipatnam.
Another Andhra resident, Gelli Kishore of Machilipatnam, remains under treatment in a Vietnamese hospital.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu called the accident “deeply tragic and heartbreaking” and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.
He directed officials to work in close coordination with the Government of India, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi, and the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City to ensure the swift repatriation of survivors and the remains of the victims.
Minister for Information Technology Nara Lokesh and Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha have been monitoring the situation continuously, while the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) and Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi have established a 24*7 coordination mechanism with Vietnamese authorities and the Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society.
At the homes of the victims, grief and uncertainty prevailed.
“We have only been told that my brother has passed away. The government must help us bring his body home as soon as possible,” said Ramesh, brother of Sreedhar, who had travelled to Vietnam on July 8 for a company event and subsequent sightseeing trip.
Relatives of Ravi Teja in Hindupuram said they were still awaiting formal confirmation and prayed for his safe return until official word reached them.
Officials said they have reached out to the affected families, assuring them of all possible assistance.
