On the morning of 10/9, captain Vu Thanh Long, 53, lay in his hospital bed at Van Don Regional General Hospital, recovering from pneumonia caused by near-drowning. He still recounted with shock his near-death experience yesterday afternoon.

A 1,880-ton cargo ship, fully loaded with sand, was traveling from Tan Lap sand mine (Quan Lan island, Van Don special economic zone) to Hai Phong. Around 13:20 on 9/9, while passing through Ban Sen waters, Van Don special economic zone, the vessel suddenly stopped after hitting a submerged rock reef.

"I have sailed this route many times without issue", Long said. "Yesterday, a slight deviation led to disaster."

The impact punctured the starboard bow, flooding the vessel and causing it to list. The captain woke the four sleeping crew members. Two ran to the forward compartment, while Phuong and Hanh remained in the cabin with the captain to manage the situation.

Captain Vu Thanh Long receiving treatment at Van Don Regional General Hospital. Photo: Hospital provided

Just 5 minutes later, the ship capsized 180 degrees. A refrigerator and the captain's chair fell, pinning captain Long and causing him to suffocate. Phuong and Hanh quickly rushed to pull the captain out and push him to the surface.

Even though the ship had capsized, the cabin was not yet completely submerged, with about 40 cm of air space remaining. After catching his breath, Long found his way towards the light and swam out. "When the refrigerator pinned me, I thought I was going to die, but luckily they saved me. When I surfaced, I was exhausted and passed out", Long recounted. Long escaped, but Phuong and Hanh became trapped in the submerged cabin.

Just then, the Thanh Hung tourist boat, en route from the mainland to Quan Lan, noticed the capsized cargo ship just 20 m away, prompting its crew to organize a rescue. Vu Van Chuong, 31, recounted that they initially saw two people helping each other in the water, so they threw lifebuoys and pulled them aboard. Later, they saw another person emerge from the cabin area and threw another lifebuoy.

Thanh Hung crew members brought the three victims aboard for first aid, asked about the number of people on board, then called medical services and authorities to report the incident. The three rescued were captain Vu Thanh Long and crew members Bui Van Nho and Nguyen Van Cuong.

Crew members Bui Van Nho and Nguyen Van Cuong assisting each other in the sea, next to the capsized cargo ship. Photo: Van Chuong

Upon receiving the report, authorities from Van Don special economic zone, Quang Ninh province, mobilized personnel and resources for a search operation at the scene. The special economic zone's administration issued a notice requesting all fishing boats, cargo ships, tourist boats, and other vessels operating in the Ban Sen sea area of Van Don and adjacent waters to increase vigilance and report any missing persons.

By 17:30 the same day, divers found Phuong's body inside the cargo ship's cabin underwater. Hanh's body was discovered at the bottom of the ship by noon today.

According to local residents, the Cai Rong - Quan Lan shipping lane where the incident occurred is known for dangerous submerged rock reefs, with several previous vessels having struck them. "Navigating this area requires experience to avoid hazards. We hope authorities will place a signal buoy directly on the rock reef to prevent similar incidents", a fisherman said.

All five people on the cargo ship resided in Nguyen Dai Nang ward, TP Hai Phong, and were crew members of Huong Thao Company Limited.

Le Tan