The fishing boat, over 20 meters long with 525 horsepower, was captained by Tran Van Dan, 58, from Binh Son commune. It departed the Binh Thanh Border Guard Checkpoint on 4/6 with 36 fishermen, bound for the Truong Sa sea to fish for squid.
Around 8h on 24/7, while en route to Truong Sa Lon island to shelter from severe weather, the vessel encountered a powerful storm. Water quickly flooded the boat, causing it to sink and forcing the fishermen to abandon ship and drift at sea.
Unable to reach her husband, Tran Van Dan's wife reported the incident to the Binh Thanh Border Guard Station and the Quang Ngai Provincial Border Guard Command.
Approximately 13 hours after the incident, around 21h, a fishing boat captained by Nguyen Huu Loc, 53, located the distressed fishermen. The rescue occurred approximately 27 km west of the sinking site. While 33 individuals were rescued, three fishermen remain missing.
The rescued individuals are currently being transported to Da Tay island. Captain Loc's vessel continues to coordinate with other forces in the search for the missing fishermen.
The incident occurred in an area experiencing strong southwest winds, recorded at level 5-6 and gusting to 7-8, resulting in very rough seas.
The Quang Ngai Provincial Border Guard Command has notified nearby fishing vessels to assist in the search efforts. Additionally, it has requested the Naval Region 4 Command, the Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center Region IV, and other relevant units to join the rescue operation.
Pham Linh
