Six students were rescued from drowning off Trung Lương Beach in Bình Định Province. — Photo tuoitre.vn

BÌNH ĐỊNH — Six students with developmental disabilities who were swept away by strong waves on a beach in Bình Định Province on Sunday were fortunately rescued.

Trần Đình Trực, chairman of the Cát Tiến Town People's Committee, said on Monday that authorities and local people managed to rescue the six, all students at a local school for the disabled.

At 2.30pm on Sunday, they were swimming in Trung Lương Beach in Cát Tiến, when they were swept away.

Some fishermen spotted them and informed the Border Guard and police, who arrived swiftly.

Two of the students, who were in critical condition, were given first aid by the rescue team before being taken to the town medical centre, Trực said. 

One of them had fluid in the lungs, and so the medical staff contacted the SOS Bình Định rescue team, who took the student to the provincial capital, Qui Nhơn City, for treatment, he said.

Dr Võ Thành Nam Bình, deputy director of the Bình Định Province General Hospital, said after being treated promptly, the patient's condition has stabilised.

The others are all fine.

Nguyễn Văn Hưng, chairman of Phù Cát District, said the children, whose ages are not known, went to the beach unsupervised.

The sea off Trung Lương is currently rough with strong waves and winds, he said.

There is a warning in place from local authorities against swimming in the area.

In Việt Nam, drowning is one of the top 10 causes of death of children aged five to 14.

While fatalities have been decreasing, nearly 2,000 children still drown each year, and remains one of authorities’ top priorities.  VNS