Bình Thuận searches for ship involved in accident

BÌNH THUẬN — The Bình Thuận Province People’s Committee on Thursday sent an urgent letter to concerned organisations to ask for help for a fishing vessel that was hit by a container ship.

The fishing boat, from La Gi Town in Bình Thuận Province, was hit by the Hải Dương 19 transport ship before the larger vessel fled the scene of the collision.

The committee asked the provinces’ border guards to search for the Hải Dương 19 and collaborate with other organisations to investigate the case.

The committee asked the Maritime Administration of Bình Thuận and the Phan Thiết Radio Station to inform all ships to help the fishing boat.

The committee also asked the La Gi Town People’s Committee to support the captain and crewmembers of the boat so they will be able to repair the vessel.

A report by the Bình Thuận People’s Committee said that the fishing boat named BTh 96835 TS, with a capacity of 227CV, has four seamen on board. The boat was owned by Bạch Tấn Thà, 41. It was hit on August 13 by the Hải Dương 19 ship while catching cuttlefish about 23 nautical miles off Ô Cấp Cape in the southern province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu. The fishing ship sustained severe damage and sank.

The four seamen were saved by a passing vessel. — VNS