According to the Da Nang Border Guard Command, the fishing boat QNa 91917-TS caught fire and sank in the early hours of December 17 while operating at sea about 110 nautical miles east-northeast of Da Nam Reef in the Spratly archipelago.

The crew members were rescued by three nearby fishing vessels and were transported to Song Tu Tay Island, where they will be handed over to rescue forces for transfer back to the mainland.

The vessel, measuring 28 meters in length with an engine capacity of 1,242 horsepower, was involved in squid fishing. It departed from An Hoa Border Guard Checkpoint in Vietnam’s Da Nang city at 5:30 p.m. on November 11.

Initial records showed 55 crew members onboard at departure. However, authorities later confirmed that three crew members had disembarked shortly after departure to return to shore on another vessel for personal reasons, leaving 52 people on board at the time of the incident.

At around 1 a.m. on December 17, the vessel caught fire and subsequently sank. All crew members abandoned ship by jumping into the sea before being rescued.

The Da Nang Border Guard said it has coordinated with the Naval Region 4 Command, the Coast Guard, and maritime search and rescue centres to support rescue efforts and ensure the crew’s safe return.

No casualties have been reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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