According to reports, the vessel suffered a main engine failure on March 6 during squid fishing at sea. The crew were unable to repair the damage, and the boat drifted at around 0.4 to 0.5 nautical miles per hour with a sea anchor deployed.

Weather conditions in the area were challenging, with strong northeast monsoon winds reaching 32-74km/h, creating waves between three and four metres high. The captain of the vessel requested urgent assistance due to concerns over the safety of the boat and the crew.

After receiving the distress report on March 9, the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre issued a navigational alert and called on vessels operating nearby to assist the distressed fishing boat. However, rough sea conditions hampered nearby ships from approaching the vessel.

Given the potential risks to the fishermen’s safety, authorities decided to deploy the specialised rescue vessel SAR 273 from Nha Trang to carry out the rescue operation.

The rescue vessel departed from Nha Trang and reached the distressed fishing boat at 4:48 p.m. the same day. Rescue personnel quickly secured a connection between the two vessels and began towing the fishing boat back to shore.

At 5 a.m. on March 10, the rescue vessel brought the fishing boat and all 34 fishermen safely to the regional base of the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre in Nha Trang, where they were handed over to relevant authorities.

Vietnamese crew rescues 21 sailors from burning tanker in Gulf of Oman

VOV.VN - A Vietnamese-crewed tanker diverted its course in the Gulf of Oman to rescue 21 sailors who abandoned a burning vessel, demonstrating swift humanitarian response amid heightened tensions near the Strait of Hormuz.