Vietnamese Coast Guard’s vessel 9002 has rescued many fishing boats in distress. On September 2nd, 9002 saved 8 fishermen off Quang Ngai Province who were stranded in the Spratly Archipelago due to bad weather. The 500,000 USD fishing boat was later taken back to Ky Ha port.
Mr Le Quang Hung, Command of Vietnam Coast Guard in Zone 2, said: "Our duty is to save people at sea. You can see terribly harsh weather at sea and we try our best to help them. The Spratly and Paracel archipelagos are traditional fishing grounds for fishing fleets from the central region. Unpredictable weather and pirates are just among frequent risks they face at sea. As such, the Command of Vietnam Coast Guard in Zone 2 is always ready for duty".
Rear Admiral Nguyen Quang Dam, Vietnam Coast Guard, said: "Our work is to create a stable environment and protect the sovereign rights and jurisdiction at sea. At the same time, we provide humanitarian aid to fishermen in distress".
While the East Sea issue remains complicated, Vietnamese fishermen can be threatened and assaulted when at sea, and the Coast Guard is expected to provide solid support during each offshore expedition by local fishermen.
