A man and his six-year-old daughter were rescued by a cargo vessel after drifting at sea for 13 hours. — Photo courtesy of local authorities

HÀ TĨNH — A 35-year-old man and his six-year-old daughter were rescued on Thursday morning after drifting for more than 13 hours and over 30km at sea while kayaking off the coast of Hà Tĩnh Province in central Việt Nam.

The two, from Vinh City in Nghệ An Province, had taken a kayak out from the Xuân Thành beach tourist area in Tiên Điền Commune around 5:30pm on Wednesday when they were swept away by strong waves and lost contact with people onshore.

Both were wearing life jackets but were unable to paddle back against the current, according to local authorities.

Border guards at Lạch Kèn Station received a report of the missing pair at 8:15pm and immediately launched a search operation, mobilising 12 officers and soldiers alongside local fishermen. The overnight search yielded no results.

Authorities believed the two had likely been carried past Mắt Island, located more than 30km from where they were last seen.

At around 6:30am on Thursday, a cargo vessel travelling from Ninh Bình to Quảng Ngãi spotted the father and daughter clinging to their kayak near Mắt Island. The crew threw life buoys and safely brought them aboard.

Both were reported to be in stable condition following the rescue.

Rescue teams are now coordinating with the vessel to bring the pair ashore at Thạch Kim Commune in Hà Tĩnh Province.

Kayaks are small, narrow boats typically designed for one or two people and are commonly used in Việt Nam for recreational purposes. They are propelled with double-bladed paddles and made from materials such as plastic, composites, or inflatable fabric. — VNS