On Monday, the Da Nang Coastal Information Station received a SOS message from 2 distressed fishing boats QNa 90578 TS and QNa 90315 TS, both from Quang Nam Province.

It was reported that, last Friday (3 May), the boat QNa 90315 TS unexpectedly suffered engine failure whilst fishing off the Hoang Sa Archipelago. Having received the call for help, QNa 90578 TS operating nearby reached the distressed boat, and then embarked upon towing it back to safety.

Unfortunately, on Monday, QNa 90578 TS suffered a gearbox failure. As a result, the 2 boats, with a total crew off 11 onboard, began drifting about 128 nautical miles northeast off the Ly Son Inland in Quang Ngai Province. They faced strong winds of levels 4-5, and rough seas at that time.

The Viet Nam Coastal Information Station has already reported the incident to search and rescue agencies for timely support, and asked fishing vessels operating in the vicinity to enhance their observation and give timely assistance to the 2 distressed vessels pending the arrival of rescue units.

On the same day, the Da Nang Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Mitigation, and Control and Search and Rescue has successfully appealed for fishing vessel DNa 90800 TS to immediately come to the rescue of the distressed DNa 57016 TS. Last Wednesday, the latter, with 6 crew members on board, drifted following a broken drive shaft whilst it was operating 29 nautical miles north off Con Co Island in Quang Tri Province.

DNa 57016 TS has been already towed back to the Da Nang mainland safely by DNa 90800 TS.