The remains of two Keralites who lost their lives in the recent boat tragedy in Vietnam were brought back to Kerala on Tuesday morning. The bodies of A C Thomas, aged **57**, and his wife Loveni Thomas, aged **56**, who hailed from Kottarakkara, arrived at the **Thiruvananthapuram** airport.
Following the completion of necessary official procedures, the bodies are scheduled to be transported by ambulance to their hometown of Kottarakara. Relatives, with tearful eyes, gathered around the coffins in the airport’s cargo area as the handover formalities were completed.
Notable figures including Kerala Ministers **P C Vishnunadh** and **C P John**, along with Congress MP **Kodikunnil Suresh**, were present to pay their respects. They honored the couple by placing wreaths on the coffins, reflecting the collective grief felt by the community.
The return of the bodies was facilitated by an Air India flight that transported them from **Mumbai** to **Thiruvananthapuram**. This tragic incident came to light when Vietnamese media reported that **15 Indian tourists** lost their lives in an accident involving a speedboat on Saturday.
According to reports from the Vietnamese news portal **VN Express International**, the speedboat, which was carrying **32 Indian tourists** and **four crew members**, capsized approximately **400 metres** off the coast of **Hon May Rut Ngoai**, an island in the **An Thoi archipelago** near **Phu Quoc**. This incident has not only saddened the families involved but has also drawn attention to the safety measures for tourists in the region.
