TIỀN GIANG — The Tiền Giang People’s Committee on Tuesday gave certificates of merit to nine Vietnamese seamen for having saved 22 Philippine seamen who got into an accident at sea.

The nine seamen were aboard a fishing vessel owned by Ngô Văn Thẻng, 54, from Tân Trung Commune, Gò Công Town of the Mekong Delta province.

On the night of June 10, the fishing vessel was working offshore and the fishermen spotted two Philippine seamen in a small boat asking for help.

Nguyễn Thanh Tâm, captain of the ship, asked other members of the crew to take the two seamen on board. They later navigated to the location of the distressed vessel and saved another 20 seamen.

The Vietnamese vessel then broadcast a message to other Philippine fishing boats in the area to take over their fellowmen and bring them home.

Afterwards, they continued fishing and returned to shore on Monday.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Nguyễn Thanh Tâm, captain of the fishing vessel, said after discovering that several people had been involved in an accident, he and other members of the crew did not hesitate and have not wasted any time in providing the help.

“I believe any Vietnamese person would act the same in such a situation. All of us are happy as we did a good deed, having been able to save the lives of the Filipino fishermen,” he said. — VNS