A helicopter was used to rescue stranded people at sea Sunday morning in Quảng Trị Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Hồ Cầu

QUẢNG TRỊ — Rescue forces on Sunday morning brought to shore the last stranded crewmembers of a stranded cargo ship in central Việt Nam amidst the ongoing torrential rains and raging waves.

Helicopters and special maritime forces of the Việt Nam People’s Navy have airlifted and brought eight people on Vietship01 back to the mainland from their stranded position about 400m from Cửa Việt Port, Quảng Trị Province, and they were rushed to a local health station to be treated.

It was determined that there were nine people still on board the ship after four members were rescued on October 9, but the navy said there was not anyone else on board aside from the eight rescued.

A body washed ashore Sunday and authorities are still trying to identify whether the victim was a crewmember of the unfortunate ship that got stranded early on October 8 and faced being sunk by the rough waves.

Ordinary search and rescue boats failed to gain access to the ship due to 4-5m high waves.

Navy special forces rescued the stranded fisherman who decided to swim back to sea, while the eight crewmembers onboard the Vietship were rescued via helicopter. — VNA/VNS Photo Hồ Cầu

The remaining eight crewmembers’ health was fast deteriorating and they did not have any food or drinking water, the navy said.

On Saturday, four fishermen attempted to approach the ship to save the eight crewmembers but their small boat capsized, and three of them had to remain on Vietship01 while one of them swam back to shore.

The fisherman jumped off the Vietship 01 and was saved by locals and navy's officers. — VNA/VNS Photo

On Saturday afternoon, two fishermen got back to shore, leaving eight crewmembers and one fisherman on the stranded ship.

Then Vietnam Helicopter Corporation under the defence ministry decided to deploy a MIK171 to the site to save the stranded people on the ship, but they could only manage to provide necessities and food to the ship and secured a rope connecting the ship to the mainland before the rescue was successful on Sunday morning. — VNS