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It's only been a few days since the tragic boat sinking in Vietnam, in which 15 people, including a Malayali couple from Kollam, lost their lives. The tourist speedboat, which was carrying 32 Indians and 4 crew members, capsized in the rough seas off the shore of Hon May Rut Ngoai Island on July 11.
57-year-old AC Thomas and his wife, 57-year-old Loveni, lost their lives in an incident in which inclement weather, delay in medical care, poor boat cabin design and panic came together to claim their lives.
Kerala traveller Nimisha Renjit, who had a similar experience a while ago, recalls the incident.
A pop-up trip
It all started with a surprise. When our appa, Renjit Paul (Head of IT in Malayala Manorama), told us we were going to Vietnam for five days, I honestly thought he was joking. But nope — bags packed, passports ready, and suddenly we were off! It was the four of us — Appa, Amma, my sister Nikki, and me — off on a trip we didn’t even see coming.
We landed in Vietnam's capital, Ho Chi Minh City, where the energy was unreal. Endless motorbikes zipping around, street food smells everywhere, and that perfect chaos that somehow makes sense. The city was this wild mix of old charm and modern buzz. We hopped through local markets, checked out war museums and the Cu Chi Tunnels, and tried every possible version of Vietnamese coffee.
Exploring Hanoi Night Market
Next stop was Hanoi, a city that instantly felt like a vibe. One of my favourite nights was at the Hanoi Night Market. It was pure madness in the best way — lanterns hanging overhead, people everywhere, sizzling street food, and us pretending to be millionaires because ₹500 turned into almost 1,50,000 Vietnamese Dong. My sister and I went full shopping mode, bargaining like pros for cute souvenirs and handmade stuff.
An unforeseen betrayal
The real highlight of the trip was Halong Bay, which was a three-hour drive from Hanoi. The place looked straight out of a movie — massive limestone cliffs, emerald-green water, and this peaceful silence that hits different. We stayed overnight on a premium cruise, and it was honestly magical. Then came the afternoon kayaking adventure.
The cruise anchored, and tourists could choose either a 'kayak,' which they paddle themselves, or a 'sampan boat,' which is rowed by an expert. My sister and I hopped into a kayak, feeling super confident — like, 'We got this.' We started paddling, racing other boats, laughing non-stop... until we reached a deserted place and suddenly our kayak decided to betray us. Water started to tickle in from beneath our feet. We got scared. One wrong move and bam, we flipped straight into the water. Later, I heard that the water was 15 to 30 metres deep in that area.
For a moment, it was total chaos — cold water, shock, and us yelling for help while trying not to sink. A few people from nearby kayaks rushed over to steady us, and then a bigger sampan boat — the one with appa and amma on it — came close. They pulled us up, completely drenched and shaking from the freezing seawater.
Once we were safe, we couldn’t stop laughing. Appa and amma had also panicked and laughing in equal measures. Now, every time someone mentions Halong Bay, we just look at each other and crack up — our legendary kayak fail. On the flight home, I kept replaying everything — the chaos, the laughter, the coffee, the kayak incident.
A regular affair in Vietnam
According to reports, boating accidents are a regular occurrence in Vietnam's tourist spots. In 2025, Halong Bay, where Nimisha visited, witnessed a boat capsizing incident following a thunderstorm, and it claimed 37 lives. The area near Hon May Rut, where the Malayali couple lost their lives, is also known for rapidly changing sea conditions. Many reasons are attributed to the repeated boat accidents in Vietnam's tourist spots. A few of them are negligent weather monitoring, flawed boat design, inadequate emergency medical facilities, poorly trained crew members, and a lack of technical maintenance.
How tourists can ensure safety
According to tourism experts, here are a few safety precautions tourists should take before embarking on boating trips in Vietnam:
a) Avoid completely enclosed speedboats in rough coastal waters.
b) Check weather forecasts and avoid the trip in case of wind or storm warnings.
c) Don't prioritise discount over safety
d) Book tours only with licensed operators. Independently check whether the vessels and supporting equipment are in good condition. Wherever possible, ask a trained crew to accompany you.
e) Check whether operators are enforcing the usage of life jackets.
f) See whether your vessel is overloaded. Refuse to board if too many people or luggage are blocking exits and aisles.
g) Check whether the crew is ensuring that passengers are wearing seat belts.
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