Rescue of Nine Crew Members from Vietnamese Cargo Ship in Distress off Da Nang Coast

In the early hours of December 2, 2023, the cargo vessel Chính Quỳnh 19 (with a capacity of 3,425 tons and a length of 79 meters, carrying 3,400 tons of mountain rock on its route from Nam Dinh to Dung Quat) encountered a critical situation off the southern coast of Son Tra, Da Nang. Water unexpectedly flooded the ship's cargo hold, causing the vessel to list dangerously and risking capsizing. Amid heavy rain, strong winds, and waves exceeding 3 meters, the Chín Quỳnh 19 captain issued an emergency distress call.

Upon receiving the alert, the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (Centre) immediately coordinated with local authorities to initiate a rescue operation. The Centre dispatched a rescue team along with the CN-03 rescue boat stationed in Da Nang to the scene.

Braving severe weather conditions, the maritime rescue team successfully reached the Chính Quỳnh 19 and evacuated all nine crew members onto the CN-03. The crew members were found in a state of exhaustion and panic but were promptly stabilized.

By 2:50 a.m. on December 3, 2023, all nine crew members had been safely transported to the Danang Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre in Da Nang and handed over to the relevant authorities.

The leadership of the center personally met with the rescued crew members to offer support and encouragement. They also emphasized the importance of safety measures, including thorough technical preparations and proper lifesaving equipment, in light of increasingly unpredictable weather conditions.

Below are some images of the rescue operation.

The rescue team made their way towards the Chín Quỳnh 19 vessel.

All of the crews from the Chín Quỳnh 19 were safely brought to shore.