3 navy ships are searching for 13 missing fishermen in Song Tu Tay
Receiving urgent instructions from the Prime Minister, rescue forces are racing against time to save the lives of 13 fishermen still missing in two shipwrecks at sea.
Seize the golden time
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep asked Quang Nam to keep abreast of information from fishing vessels conducting search and rescue operations and asked these vessels to actively search through the night, using all their capabilities to find the missing fishermen.
In addition, while waiting for the coast guard and navy ships to arrive at the scene, it is necessary to actively provide first aid and ensure the health and lives of the fishermen in distress who have been brought aboard.
“It is expected that at 10pm tonight, when ships of the coast guard, fisheries surveillance, and navy arrive at the scene to provide rescue support, Quang Nam needs to coordinate well with these forces to organize an all-night search. Take advantage of the “golden time” until 2pm tomorrow (October 18) to save the lives of the missing fishermen.
In addition, the province needs to proactively encourage the families of the victims and welcome the fishermen when they are brought ashore. The Prime Minister is very concerned about this incident, we must do our best for the fishermen" - Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep emphasized.
After receiving a request for assistance in rescuing fishermen from Quang Nam province, the Naval Region 4 Command dispatched three naval ships 467, 471 and 735 to depart at 10:00 a.m. the same day to search for the Quang Nam fishermen missing at sea.
It is expected that from 11pm tonight to tomorrow morning (October 18), these ships will arrive at the rescue location.
Currently, the weather in the Truong Sa archipelago has showers and thunderstorms, southwest winds of level 5, and waves of 1.0 - 2.0m high. Quang Nam province has also officially granted seaports from 4:00 p.m. this afternoon until the weather returns to normal.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has just signed Official Dispatch 970 (dated October 17, 2023) on organizing search and rescue for fishermen on two Quang Nam fishing boats that sank in the Song Tu Tay island area.
The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of National Defense to direct units and functional forces to continue to closely coordinate with the Ministry of Transport, the National Committee for Incident Response, Natural Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, and Quang Nam province to mobilize maximum forces and means, urgently and quickly deploy measures to search, rescue and salvage the missing fishermen.
Central localities are ready to respond to emergency situations and rescue that may occur with the motto "4 on-site".