Hanoi, Dec. 18, (dpa/GNA) – Rescue forces on Friday morning found the bodies of two Chinese crew members after a Panamanian ship sank off Vietnam’s south-central coast.
Eight Chinese and three Vietnamese crew members have already been rescued and are receiving care on a coast guard ship, Nguyen Hung Tan, chief of office of the central province’s Search and Rescue Command said.
The rescued crew members will be taken to Phu Quy Island for health checks.
The search for the two crew members who are still missing is under way, but rough seas and strong winds near the island are causing difficulties for rescue forces.
The Panamanian ship, with 15 people on board, was carrying 7,800 tonnes of clay from Malaysia to Hong Kong.
The vessel passed the southern Binh Thuan coastline on Thursday afternoon, but the vessel was tilting to one side due to the clay leaning on one side, Binh Thuan’s border guard authorities said.
The captain contacted authorities on Phu Quy Island to request permission to dock at Phu Quy Island and was given permission, but his ship sunk about 1.5 nautical miles away from Phu Quy Port.
GNA