Mobilizing two teams of divers to search the cabin and compartment of the VTB 26 ship.

(Baonghean.vn) - Mr. Nguyen Xuan Sang - Director of Vietnam Maritime Administration informed the relatives of the 4 missing crew members: Currently, a team of divers from Nghe An has arrived at the scene to conduct a search in the cabin of the ship VTB 26.

» Boat sinking in Nghe An: 7 people rescued, 3 bodies found, 3 people still missing

» List of 6 rescued crew members on the sunken ship in Nghe An

18:15:As of 6 p.m. on July 18, no more missing crew members have been found in the VTB 26 ship that capsized and sank in the waters around Ngu Island. Previously, authorities had discovered two life jackets at sea but could not confirm whether they were life jackets from the VTB 26 ship or not.

The civilian vessels have now returned to the mainland. The SAR, Coast Guard and Border Guard vessels continue to stay at sea to search for the missing crew members.

15:30:During the rescue plan discussion on the afternoon of July 18, Mr. Nguyen Van Tinh - Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center requested the Provincial Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue and related units to request fishing boats and cargo ships to return to the mainland by the end of this afternoon and temporarily stop search and rescue operations. Only ships of the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center, the Coast Guard, and the Border Guard will continue search and rescue operations.

The steering committee met to discuss the rescue plan for the VTB 26 ship on the afternoon of July 18. Photo: Thanh Duy

"Tomorrow morning, we will organize a dive to search for the missing crew members in the area where the ship sank. If we cannot find or not find all the crew members on the VTB 26, we will mobilize two pairs of trawlers to sweep the water surface," Mr. Tinh added.

This morning, the second body recovered on July 17th was identified as crew member Le Dac Tai, an AB mechanic, from Thanh Hoa. The family of this unfortunate crew member went to Nghe An General Hospital to identify the body and bring it back to his hometown for burial.

12:00The Nghe An diving team has returned to shore. After surveying the location of the VTB 26, the divers said that because the ship was in the middle of the Lam River's flow, the waves swirled around the ship, and the water was murky, the diving team could not dive to search inside the ship's hull.

This afternoon, a team of professional divers experienced in salvage of ships in Hai Phong will arrive at Cua Lo. It is expected that tomorrow morning (July 19), the team will conduct a survey and develop a search plan. In addition, a team of divers in Da Nang will monitor and, if necessary, join in the search and rescue operation.

Up to now, no more crew members have been found.

10:30:Divers are currently approaching to survey and find a way to dive to find the crew.

Image of the capsized ship VTB 26 at sea. Photo: Thanh Duy

10:15 am:Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Van Thong and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Dinh Viet Hong visited, presented gifts and encouraged the sailors who are being treated at Cua Lo Town General Hospital. Currently, the sailors' health is recovering well. The sailors talked and thanked the leaders of Nghe An province for their concern and encouragement.

Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Van Thong visits sailors being treated at Cua Lo General Hospital. Photo: Thanh Duy

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Dinh Viet Hong encouraged the crew members undergoing treatment. Photo: Thanh Duy

9am:This morning, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Van Thong and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Dinh Viet Hong were present at the command post to continue directing the search for the missing crew members.

Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Van Thong discussed the search plan with the functional forces. Photo: Thanh Duy

8:30:Fishing boats of Cua Lo fishermen set out to assist in the search for the four missing crew members.

Fishing boats leave Cua Lo port to assist in the search for missing crew members. Photo: Thanh Duy

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Sang presented gifts from the Minister and Deputy Minister of Transport to encourage the families of the missing crew members. Photo: Pham Bang

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Sang - Director of Vietnam Maritime Administration presented gifts from Minister of Transport Truong Quang Nghia and Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho shared and encouragedrelatives of the missing crew members. At 8:30, two teams of divers surveyed the scene at the location of the sunken ship VTB 26 to plan a diving search inside the ship.

8am:This morning, the Director of the Vietnam Maritime Administration directly met with the relatives of the four missing crew members: Nguyen Van Xuan - chief mate, from Thanh Hoa; Nguyen Van Chieu - deck officer, from Hai Phong; Nguyen Van Duong - engineer officer, from Hai Phong; and Nguyen Hai Quyet - OS sailor, from Hai Phong.

Informing the families of the crew members, Mr. Sang said that throughout last night and this morning, a total of 18 vehicles, including search and rescue vehicles (2 SAR ships), 2 coast guard ships, 4 border guard ships, 1 port authority ship, 7 fishing boats of fishermen, and 3 cargo ships were deployed for the search.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Sang met with relatives of the four missing crew members. Photo: Thanh Duy

Currently, the authorities are mobilizing and adding more fishing boats to join the search and rescue force and are expanding the search area. The force is expanding the search and is determined to find the cause.

In particular, the Nghe An diving team has arrived at the search headquarters and will deploy diving into the cabin and ship's compartment to search.

“Today the waves are calm but the water is murky so diving may not be carried out immediately. Diver teams will be sent to the scene and, if diving conditions are suitable, the search will be carried out immediately,” Mr. Nguyen Xuan Sang added.

Through preliminary investigation, it was found that the ship was in rough seas, when the alarm sounded, all crew members went to the cabin and put on life jackets. However, after that, due to large waves, the hatch cover opened. It is not impossible that crew members remained in the cabin.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hue (sister of crew member Nguyen Van Duong), from Vinh Bao, Hai Phong, could not hide her anxiety. Photo: Pham Bang

In addition, the search and rescue team continued to coordinate the search on the shore along the beaches of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Hon Ngu island and used the American Sarops software to determine the current location combined with local folk experience and border guards to search at sea.

Mr. Sang added that the ship owner and postal insurance have rented a hotel for relatives to stay while waiting for the search; at the same time, they are preparing a plan to encourage and visit if the worst happens.

“On behalf of the rescue team, I share the family’s concerns. The rescue team is trying to get results as soon as possible,” Mr. Sang affirmed.

So far, 7 crew members have been rescued, 2 bodies have been recovered, and 4 crew members are still missing.

Continued updates

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