Rescue ship SAR 411 from Hải Phòng City has been deployed to search for three crew members of a barge that is believed to have sunk in the waters off Bạch Long Vĩ Island near the port city of Hải Phòng on Saturday. — Photo congly.vn |
HẢI PHÒNG — Maritime authorities are searching for three crew members of a barge that is believed to have sunk in the waters off Bạch Long Vĩ Island near the port city of Hải Phòng on Saturday.
Early Saturday morning, the Việt Nam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (VMRCC) was notified of a barge at the risk of sinking at about 18 nautical miles (33km) northwest of the island.
Local reports said water had seeped into the cargo of the 700-tonne barge, captained by Nguyễn Văn Quang, owing to bad weather, as it delivered construction materials from the city to the island.
The barge was not equipped with any communication devices, except for the crew’s mobile phones. At about 8.30am, the VMRCC was unable to reach the crew on their phones.
Two marine rescue ships, one of the VMRCC and another of the National Committee for Search and Rescue, have been deployed to look for the barge. All ships and boats active in the area have been notified of the accident. — VNS