As a result of the collision between a cargo ship and a small fishing boat off the southern coast of Vietnam, one fisherman died and 16 others were rescued.
The incident occurred on Monday morning when the cargo ship Viet Thuan 11-07 left the port of Nui Thanh and was heading to the Ho Chi Minh port area. While approximately seven nautical miles east of Thien Phu, the ship collided with the fishing boat BTh 98379 TS, which is 50 feet long. The fishing boat had just left its home port and was completing a 10-hour journey to fishing grounds.
The force of the impact capsized the fishing vessel, and all 17 crew members ended up in the water. The survivors found refuge on the overturned vessel and were able to pull one comrade, who was in distress, out of the water; unfortunately, he could not be saved due to existing health issues, as reported by survivor Nguyen Van Han.
“The cargo ship collided with the fishing boat, causing it to tilt to the side. Many of us were sleeping at the time; those who were awake managed to jump into the water, while the sleeping ones were thrown into the sea,” said survivor Nguyen Huu Tri.
The survivors were rescued by a nearby fishing vessel, and all except the captain, who stayed behind to monitor the overturned vessel, returned to shore in Phu Hai.
The cargo ship was detained and directed to a nearby area in Phan Thiet for investigation.
Viet Thuan 11-07 is a new cargo ship with a displacement of 11,000 tons, flying the flag of Vietnam. The ship's operator owns or manages a significant fleet of bulk carriers with a total capacity of over one million tons, including coastal, river, and deep-sea vessels.
