‘He said he’ll call soon…': Kin of deceased in Vietnam boat tragedy

Families of the 10 victims who lost their lives in a boat accident have appealed to the TN and Central govts to expedite the process to bring back the bodies.

Families of the 10 victims who lost their lives in a boat accident in Vietnam have appealed to the Tamil Nadu and Central governments to expedite the process to bring back the bodies at the earliest.

15 people, including 10 from Tamil Nadu, died in a boat accident off Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island on Saturday. Of the remaining victims, three are from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala.

Also Read| ‘We were taking pictures and…’: Vietnam boat accident survivors recall horror after tragedy kills 15 Indians

On Sunday, the family members of 54-year-old Shaikh Abdullah Abdul Majeed, urged the Tamil Nadu government and Prime Minister Narenda Modi to help bring back the remains of his brother.

“We received information about the accident at around 2pm on Saturday. At about 4.30pm, we were informed that he passed away. We request the Tamil Nadu government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps to bring the body of my brother bac home safely,” Mohammed Abdullah Majeed, his relative told reporters.

Majeed, a mobile phone dealer, is survived by his son and daughter, he said. He had gone to the trip to Vietnam sponsored by a mobile phone company

To a query, he said, “Normally, he (Majeed) avoids taking up overseas trips. This time too even he asked his son to take part in the trip on his behalf. But decided to go at the last minute.”

ALSO READ | Vietnam boat tragedy: Incentive tour for Lava Mobiles staff turns fatal for 15 Indians

“Even on Saturday morning, before taking up the boat trip, he called us from Vietnam and spoke to the family members. He told that he will be going to an island and there may be poor cell phone network and he will not be able to talk and call once he returns to the hotel room. But, he passed away in the tragic accident,” he said.

Similarly, the brother of Muruga Prabhu Arumugam, another victim, urged the Central government to bring the body of his deceased relative at the earliest.

“We hail from Palani. Muruga Prabhu was 44 years old. Minister for Backward Classes Welfare V Sampath Kumar and Minister for Prohibition K Vignesh contacted us and assured us all help. We have requested them to swiftly bring back my brother’ body.” Mahendran, the brother of Muruga Prabhu Arumugam said.

The family of Vinaya Kumar Chithapuram Bhaskara from Vellore said the 40-year-old Vinaya went to Vietnam for an event organised by the smartphone company in Vietnam. “We were told about his passing on Saturday evening. We request the governments to bring back his body soon,” his father-in-law Sekar told reporters.