CHENNAI: The bodies of the 10 TN people killed in the speedboat accident off Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island on Saturday are expected to be returned to their families on Tuesday morning. The Indian Embassy in Vietnam said the mortal remains of 15 Indian tourists were flown from Ho Chi Minh City to Mumbai on Monday night, and thereafter they will be transported to their respective states.
Around 5.30 pm on Monday, the Indian Embassy posted on X, “The mortal remains of the 15 Indian nationals have departed from Ho Chi Minh City to Mumbai by Vietnam Airlines flight VN 979 and will arrive at 21.30 hours local time.” The state governments of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh will coordinate transportation of the mortal remains to their final destinations in the respective states, it added.
An official told TNIE, “The bodies were repatriated only after postmortem in Vietnam. They will first arrive in Mumbai before being flown to Chennai and other destinations in TN. The mortal remains of K Babu of Gummidipoondi, Santhosh Kumar of Madhavaram and Vinaya Kumar of Vellore will be flown to Chennai.”
Babu’s cousin and schoolmate Murali (52) told TNIE, “I was in office on Saturday when I got the news. I rushed home to pacify his family, who were inconsolable.” Babu (52) ran a Lava Mobiles dealership and his wife, Revathi, assisted him in the business, Murali said. His children, Jashwanth (21) and Neha (19), are in college. Murali said government officials visited Babu’s family and offered condolences.