Video: Vietnam Orders Salvage of Sunken Ship After Rescuing Crew

The Vietnamese Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center is reporting the successful rescue of 10 people from a coastal cargo ship that sank near the northern port of Hai Pong on June 22. Due to the nature of the area where the ship went down, the authorities are reporting that they have ordered the owners to come up with a salvage plan as well as to deal with the oil aboard the vessel before it leaks.

A 13-year-old general cargo ship, the Nam Thinh 126 had loaded a cargo consisting of 1,800 tons of stone and bales in the southern port of Quy Nhon. According to reports the vessel which was 259 feet long and 1,983 dwt was operating with a crew of eight and also two passengers from the owner’s company.

They reached the anchorage at Hai Pong, but shortly after midnight on June 22 called the MRCC reporting that the vessel had tilted in heavy seas. The captain was requesting an urgent rescue reporting that he was ordering everyone into the vessel’s raft. The reports indicated the vessel was rolling in heavy seas likely indicating that its cargo shifted causing the severe list.

 

 

Vietnamese officials indicated that a search was undertaken saying that the passengers and crew were rescued from their raft at mid-day. The video shows people on the deck, possibly after they were rescued from the raft. 

The crew told the authorities that they had closed and locked the fuel values before abandoning ship. However, they were reporting that the vessel had 150 tons of fuel oil and three tons of diesel on board leading to fears of environmental pollution. 

The Nam Thinh126 sank approximately 2.5 nautical miles south of the channel with the authorities saying it was imperative to have a plan to salvage the ship to ensure the safety of the navigation channels. In addition, they have ordered the owner to come up with a plan to drain the oil from the vessel before it leaks.