Crew members of fisheries surveillance ship KN475 monitor the towing of a disabled fishing boat toward Đá Tây A Island in the Trường Sa Archipelago. — photos courtesy of Fisheries Surveillance Squadron No 4

HCM CITY — A fisheries surveillance vessel has successfully towed a distressed fishing boat carrying 36 fishermen from central Quảng Ngãi Province after it suffered engine failure while operating near the Trường Sa (Spratly) Archipelago.

Fisheries Surveillance Squadron No 4 in HCM City’s Phước Thắng Ward on March 6 annouced that its vessel KN475 was dispatched after receiving an emergency distress signal from fishing boat QNg 90251 TS on April 4.

The fishing boat had lost mobility while fishing southwest of An Bàng Island.

Vessel KN475, captained by Nguyễn Duy Thành, had departed from Sơn Cần Port on March 3 with 36 crew members on board for squid fishing.

Despite efforts by the crew, the engine malfunction could not be fixed.

The vessel reached the scene at 00.30am on April 5 and deployed a technical team to assist.

A fisheries surveillance officer checks the health of a fisherman aboard the distressed vessel from Quảng Ngãi Province after it was rescued at sea near the Trường Sa Archipelago.

 All fishermen were reported to be in stable condition.

Inspectors later determined that a failure in the high-pressure fuel pump control rack had rendered the vessel inoperable.

At 8am the same day, vessel KN475 began towing the boat to Đá Tây A Island for maintainence, with arrival expected later that evening.

The timely and properly coordinated rescue ensured the safety of both crew and the boat, reaffirming the role of the fisheries surveillance force in supporting fishermen operating offshore. — VNS