Joint Search and Rescue Communication Exercise between Vungtau MRCC and Bangkok RCC (Thailand)

On the morning of April 10th, 2024, Vungtau MRCC conducted a maritime search and rescue communication exercise (SARCOMEX) with Bangkok RCC (Thailand).

The SARCOMEX was connected online to the Rescue Coordination Department of the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (the Centre) and other Regional Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centres. All Rescue Coordination Departments' leaders and duty officers attended the telecom bridges rehearsal.

Both parties of the exercise processed and exchanged information via phone, fax, and email in English with two hypothetical scenarios.

Scenario #1: Passenger ship SONGKRAN 13 (Thai flagged) en route from Bangkok (Thailand) to Vung Tau (Vietnam) with 800 passengers and 400 crew members on board. At 03:00 UTC on April 10th, 2024, when she arrived at position 10025’ N; 107005’ E (in Vung Tau waters), 01 passenger was discovered jumping off the ship because the victim suffered from depression. The victim was 28 years old, wearing a red T-shirt and an orange life jacket. The captain requested a plan to support the search for the victim.

Scenario #2: Cargo ship VANDON ACE (Vietnamese flagged) en route from Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) to Kosichang (Thailand) with 15 crew members on board. At 03:30 UTC on April 10th, 2024, the ship collided with an unknown object at position 12030’ N; 100039’ E (about 16 nautical miles southwest of Koh Yor), the ship was flooded, listing to the left with the risk of capsizing. The crew abandoned the ship on a life raft, the captain requested emergency rescue assistance.

The SARCOMEX was successfully conducted. Both parties coordinated to exchange information and have plans to handle and support hypothetical cases promptly and appropriately according to each side's actual capabilities.

The Center always organizes SARCOMEX with countries in the region annually. This demonstrates Vietnam's role as a member of the International Maritime Organization, a country participating in the SAR 79 Convention on search and rescue and the SOLAS 74 Convention on the safety of life at sea. These drills help to improve the ability to coordinate and handle situations in English with countries in the region when accidents and incidents occur in responsible sea areas. Therefore evaluate and learn from that to train officers on duty to meet the task requirements./.

The SARCOMEX attendants at Vungtau MRCC

Vungtau MRCC’s officers on duty conducting the SARCOMEX

The SARCOMEX attendants at Bangkok RCC