Why did the VTB 26 ship, carrying 4,700 tons of coal, meet with disaster at sea?

(Baonghean.vn) - The VTB 26 vessel, carrying 4,700 tons of coal, capsized during Typhoon No. 2 in the waters off Ngư Island (Cua Lo Town). Many questions have been raised about the cause of this accident.

Relatives of crew members in shipwreck: 'Brother, please come home to your wife and children'

"Two teams of divers were mobilized to search the cabins and compartments of the VTB 26 vessel."

The VTB 26 vessel, belonging to Vietnam Maritime Commercial Bank, is currently leased to a private company in An Hai, Hai Phong. Around 9 PM on July 8th, the ship departed from Km6 port (Quang Hanh ward, Cam Pha city) carrying 4,700 tons of coal to Cua Lo port. There were 13 people on board, including 12 crew members and one company representative accompanying the cargo.

The VTB 26 vessel, carrying 4,700 tons of coal, capsized at sea. (Photo: Archival image)

The ship was expected to take about two days to reach Cua Lo Port. However, in the early morning of July 17th, while anchored near Hon Ngu Island, about 3 nautical miles from the mainland, to take shelter from Typhoon No. 2, the ship capsized and sank due to rough waves. All 13 people on board perished, with many being thrown into the sea.

By 4 PM on July 18th, rescue forces had saved 7 crew members and recovered 2 bodies of crew members from the VTB 26 vessel. Currently, authorities are prioritizing the search and rescue of the remaining 4 missing crew members.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Vuong Binh Minh, Director of the Nghe An Maritime Port Authority, said that the VTB 26 vessel, which capsized and sank, was anchored in an authorized area. At the time of the accident, there were three other cargo ships anchored near Ngư Island, with the VTB 26 being the largest in terms of tonnage.

Why, after departing from Km6 Port 8 days ago, had the VTB 26 vessel still not docked at Cua Lo Port to unload its cargo by the evening of July 16th? Investigations at the Nghe An Maritime Port Authority revealed that the cargo owner had no plans to unload the cargo at Cua Lo Port, therefore the port had not scheduled the vessel to anchor there.

Furthermore, why did all 13 people remain on board the VTB 26 when the storm hit, even though authorities had notified all ships and boats operating at sea about safe shelters?

Crew member Nguyen Van Sang, one of the seven crew members rescued so far, is being brought ashore. (Photo: Archival image)

Regarding this matter, Mr. Vuong Binh Minh stated: The captain's responsibility is to assess the storm's trajectory and devise a plan for anchoring, sheltering from the storm, and deciding whether or not to allow crew members ashore to ensure safety.

Regarding the official cause of the ship's capsizing, Mr. Minh stated that after the search and rescue operation is completed, the relevant authorities will conduct an investigation to clarify the matter and reach a final conclusion.

Pham Bang -Thanh Duy