Maritime rescue profession

(Baonghean)- ""When there's a storm, with big waves and strong winds, all the ships head ashore to find safe shelter, but we, if we receive a distress signal, immediately head out to sea," said one member.A rescuer on board SAR 274 shared his story.

Urgent action, every hour, every minute.

In the early morning of July 17th, Typhoon No. 2 made landfall in Nghe An province. The VTB 26 vessel, anchored near Hon Ngu Island, only had time to send a distress signal before suddenly capsizing in the open sea. Upon receiving the report, the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (VMRCC) immediately dispatched two search and rescue vessels from the Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center Region I (based in Hai Phong City) and the Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center Region II (based in Da Nang City) to the scene to coordinate with forces from Nghe An province, fishermen, and cargo ships to carry out the mission.

A search and rescue vessel from the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (VMRCC) searches for the missing crew members of the VTB 26 vessel in the waters off Cua Lo. Photo: Thanh Duy

During those days, we had the opportunity to board the SAR 274 – one of the rescue vessels – to witness and document the urgent rescue and relief efforts. Mr. Nguyen Nhu Dai, a member of the SAR 274 crew, is originally from Nam Phuc commune (Nam Dan district). Standing on the deck, the man with salt-and-pepper hair and dark skin directed his tense gaze towards the speedboat carrying divers approaching the location where the VTB 26 vessel had capsized, about 100 meters away.

He stated: “The Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center Region II, headquartered in Da Nang, has an operational range from the southern boundary of the sea area of ​​Ha Tinh province to the southern boundary of the sea area of ​​Binh Dinh province. However, this time, the VMRCC deployed the SAR 274 vessel to the sea area of ​​Nghe An to coordinate with the SAR 411 vessel of the Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center Region I, which has an operational range from the southern boundary of the sea area of ​​Ha Tinh province to the entire sea area of ​​Quang Ninh province, to jointly search for the crew members of the VTB 26 vessel.”

“Early in the morning of July 17th, upon receiving the deployment order from the center in Hanoi, we immediately set off to coordinate search and rescue operations,” Mr. Dai said. Sharing more about his profession, the simple man with a Nghe An accent said that he used to work on cargo ships, but fate led him to the search and rescue profession at sea. Eleven years dedicated to this special profession means he has regularly faced many storms and dangers, contributing with his colleagues to bringing the joy of reunion to many families of fishermen at sea. He has lost count of how many rescue operations he has directly participated in, mostly involving fishing boats from Central Vietnam with mechanical failures or fishermen in accidents at sea…

Mr. Dai shared: "This time, the search and rescue operation in Cua Lo is taking place in very good weather conditions. But for us, about 50% of our search and rescue operations at sea are very dangerous because we always face big waves and strong winds."

During our time at the VTB 26 search and rescue command center in Cua Lo, we met Mr. Nguyen Van Tinh, Deputy General Director of VMRCC. Present from the very first day of receiving information about the VTB 26 accident, Mr. Tinh was directly involved in discussing and coordinating search and rescue plans with the provincial forces. Whether on shore or on the ship, this tall, decisive man was always closely monitoring the situation.

Mr. Tinh shared: “As a team of specialized maritime rescue vessels, we accept traveling in extremely difficult weather conditions, with rough seas and strong winds, to arrive at the scene promptly. Rescue operations involve multiple plans, prioritized in order of priority. To save the lives of the crew members, we work urgently, every hour, every minute.” Despite the hardships and dangers, those involved in rescue work persevere, because for them, the greatest happiness is witnessing the smiles and overwhelming emotions of reunion between those rescued from the vast ocean and their loved ones.

Silent sacrifices

Behind the work of maritime rescuers, few understand their silent sacrifices. These include incomplete meals and sleep. On the day we boarded the SAR 274, after a strenuous morning of searching, the officers and crew invited us to a quick lunch. Captain Nguyen Van Hoa, originally from Quynh Luu district (Nghe An province), honestly shared that for the crew, having a decent meal on their missions at sea is very difficult because their work constantly involves facing high waves, strong winds, and violent ship shaking.

Each person involved in rescue work also sacrifices a great deal of their personal lives. Captain Hoa and mechanic Dai, although from Nghe An province, haven't had time to visit their families, who live just a few dozen kilometers away, since participating in the rescue operation in Cua Lo.

Nguyen Nhu Dai, a mechanic on the SAR 274 vessel, said that his elderly mother and siblings are still back home in Nam Phuc commune (Nam Dan district). However, since heading to Cua Lo, he's only managed to call home to check on his mother and family. "When the search and rescue operation is over, the ship will be dispatched back to Da Nang. That means I'll have to go home!" Mr. Dai lamented.

Mr. Nguyen Nhu Dai - a member of the SAR vessel crew (right) - speaks with a reporter. Photo: Thanh Duy

Continuing Mr. Dai's story, Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan, 36 years old, from Thanh Khe district, Da Nang city, also a member of the SAR 274 vessel, shared that phone calls reporting sudden sea voyages have become commonplace. Mr. Tuan currently has a wife and two children, the eldest nearly 3 years old and the youngest just 3 months old, but he doesn't have much time for his family. Especially during the period from July this year to January or February next year, which is the rainy and stormy season, the sea is rough, leading to many ship and boat accidents requiring rescue. The crew members are almost constantly on the move, with some rescue missions lasting nearly half a month.

"When my wife was pregnant with our second child, I was driving her to the supermarket. Just as we reached the gate, I received a call about an emergency, so I had to let her take a taxi home. My wife and children really need to be understanding. Before we got married, I had already explained the nature of my job to her so she would understand," Tuan shared.

"The ship is our home, the sea is our homeland, and human lives are paramount" - this slogan truly reflects the lives, work, and immense sacrifices of those involved in search and rescue operations. Out there, in the vast, deep blue ocean, these men are the hope of ships and crew members in times of danger.

Thanh Duy