T’puram: The bodies of a Malayali couple from Kottarakkara, who died in the tourist boat tragedy off the coast of Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island, will be flown to Mumbai on Monday night before being brought to their hometown in Kollam, according to the chief minister’s office (CMO).The bodies of A C Thomas, 57, and his wife, Loveni Thomas, 56, are expected to arrive at Mumbai airport around 10pm on Monday. Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (Norka) department will coordinate the transportation of the bodies from Mumbai to Thiruvananthapuram airport and subsequently to the family’s residence at Kottarakkara. The time of arrival in Thiruvananthapuram will be announced later.The couple were among the 15 Indians killed when a tourist boat carrying 32 tourists and four crew members capsized near Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island on Sunday. Twenty-one people were rescued, while Thomas and Loveni were initially reported missing before their bodies were recovered during the rescue operation. Most of the tourists on board were from south India.Family members said the couple had travelled to Vietnam as part of a one-week tour package and had remained in touch with them until Friday, a day before the accident. Family later informed about their death by tour coordinator.
