One Vietnamese sailor has died and two others are still missing after the Vietnamese oil tanker Aulac Fortune caught fire off the coast of Hong Kong yesterday, reported the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.— Photo EPA-EFE

HÀ NỘI — One Vietnamese sailor has died and two others are still missing after the Vietnamese oil tanker Aulac Fortune caught fire off the coast of Hong Kong yesterday, reported the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

There were 27 crew members on board, including 25 Vietnamese sailors. Three other Vietnamese crew members were injured and sent to hospital. The remaining 19 are safe. 

The incident occurred when the 17,500-tonne tanker was being refuelled by an oil barge.
Hong Kong authorities deployed three rescue vessels and three high-speed boats to the scene to put out the flames. 

The Vietnamese Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macao has asked Hong Kong authorities to conduct an urgent search for the missing crewmen and offer medical treatment to those injured. The consulate general is also working closely with agencies and the vessel’s owner to deal with the case. 

The foreign ministry has instructed the consulate general to maintain close contact with authorities and take necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of crew members. 

It has also asked the Việt Nam Maritime Administration and the HCM City Department of External Relations to complete procedures to bring home the body of the deceased, and offer assistance with visa applications for the vessel’s owner and the families of victims. 

Vietnamese Consul General in Hong Kong Trần Thanh Huân visited the injured sailors in hospital to offer necessities and clothing. 

On January 8, the Aulac Fortune docked in Dongguan port in Guangdong, China before leaving at 6pm on Monday. 

The Hong Kong side is investigating the cause of the incident. — VNS