The incident occurred on May 14 while the workers were collecting rubbish at An Hoi Beach in Con Dao Special Zone, now part of HCM City.
The workers, identified as Le Thi Ngoc, Huynh Thi Huong and Nguyen Thi Thanh Tam, spotted the turtles entangled in abandoned nets and marine debris before cutting them free and releasing them back into the sea.
“When we saw the turtles trapped in the nets, we only thought about rescuing them immediately because they could die if help came too late,” Huong said.
Con Dao National Park later awarded certificates of merit to the three workers in recognition of their actions.
Hawksbill turtles are listed as critically endangered in Vietnam and on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Their population has declined sharply due to illegal exploitation, marine pollution and discarded fishing gear.
Authorities warned that abandoned fishing nets had become deadly traps for marine life, including sea turtles, fish, seabirds and marine mammals.
Con Dao, known for its rich marine ecosystem, is one of Vietnam’s key sea turtle nesting and conservation areas. The island has expanded programmes in recent years aimed at protecting sea turtles, restoring ecosystems and reducing ocean plastic waste.