Vietnamese police on Sunday arrested the captain of a speedboat that capsized near southern Phu Quoc Island, killing 15 Indian tourists, authorities said.Police in An Giang province said the 57-year-old was taken into custody for “violations of law” of maritime safety regulations that ultimately resulted in the capsize, as cited by AFP.State media, citing members of the rescue operation, said the sea was rough at the time of the accident, although there was no rain and other tourist boats were operating in the area.A witness, Ha Van Loc, said he saw the overturned vessel with around a dozen people clinging to its hull, while several others were drifting in the sea without life jackets.According to VNExpress, Loc and his crew threw lifebuoys attached to ropes to pull survivors aboard their boat before calling for additional assistance. Jet skis were later used to ferry victims to the shore.The bodies of the 15 Indian tourists killed in the boat accident have been transported to Ho Chi Minh City and will be repatriated to India, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi said on Sunday.The embassy also said that 16 of the 17 rescued Indian tourists are on their way back to India, while one survivor, who remains in critical condition, is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Phu Quoc.May Rut Ngoai, located south of Phu Quoc Island, is a popular tourist destination known for its clear waters, white-sand beaches and diving spots. Visitors typically travel to the islet and nearby islands by speedboat from Phu Quoc.Following the fatal accident, several tourism operators suspended speedboat services between the islands, according to state media reports on Sunday.Phu Quoc has witnessed a rise in tourist arrivals in recent years, with more than 1.8 million international visitors recorded last year.
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