The Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre said on August 24 that rescue vessel SAR 631 had safely brought nine Danang fishermen and their fishing boat back to shore before handing them over to local authorities.
The SAR 631 vessel approaches the distressed fishing boat and deploys rescue measures (Photo: Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre).
According to rescue officials, at around 2.40 pm on August 21, fishing vessel DNa 90968 TS, carrying nine crew members and captained by Tu Van Quy from Son Tra Ward, Danang, suffered engine failure while operating in waters south of the Hoang Sa Special Zone, approximately 90 nautical miles from Triton Island.
The vessel began drifting in deteriorating weather conditions as a tropical depression intensified into Storm Narra.
Facing rough seas and waves of three to four metres, the crew dropped anchor to reduce drifting. The captain and crew attempted to repair the engine but were unable to restore it.
Concerned about the vessel's safety, the captain notified the boat owner, who contacted the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre to request emergency assistance.
The centre instructed the crew to implement safety measures, prepare lifesaving equipment and maintain communication with rescuers. Meanwhile, weather conditions continued to worsen, raising the risk of the vessel sinking. Crew members became exhausted and distressed after hours of battling severe conditions.
To ensure the safety of all nine fishermen, the centre urgently dispatched rescue vessel SAR 631 to the scene.
After several hours navigating through heavy seas at maximum speed, rescuers reached the stricken vessel at 8. 48 am on August 22. Rescue operations were hampered by strong winds and waves exceeding three metres.
Following more than 64 hours of continuous rescue efforts in challenging maritime conditions, SAR 631 successfully escorted fishing vessel DNa 90968 TS and its nine crew members back to Danang.
At 11 am on August 24, the fishermen were safely returned to shore and handed over to the relevant authorities in accordance with regulations.