Vietnamese ship saves troubled fisherman of foreign ship

Fisherman Vu Thanh Tich receives first aid on Ship SAR 274.

Earlier, at 15:45 on November 18, the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center received  news that  fisherman Vu Thanh Tich, a Vietnamese national born in 1983, on ship BELFUJI, flying Marshall Islands flag, experienced symptoms of continuous vomiting, worse health condition, abdominal distension, skin and eyes turning yellow. The foreign ship was en route from Bahia Blanca port, Argentina to Tianjin port, China and some 150 nautical miles southeastern of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago of Vietnam. Realizing the critical health condition of the crew-member, the ship captain asked the center for medical assistance.

The center instructed the foreign ship to change its route to Da Nang waters and contacted the Emergency Center of Da Nang city to give health counseling.

Ship SAR 274 with patient Vu Thanh Tich docks at Da Nang port. The patient is then hospitalized for treatment.

Doctors diagnosed that the patient with a history of hepatitis B was suffering from acute hepatitis. He needed to receive treatment soon to avoid serious complications.

In that situation, at 19:06 on November 19, the center sent Ship SAR 274 with a medical crew from Da Nang Emergency Center to undertake the rescue mission.

Operating at the fastest cruise speed, at 20:24 the same day, Ship SAR 274 approached ship BELFUJI, gave the troubled fisherman first aid and promptly took him ashore for treatment.

Translated by Mai Huong