On February 28, the tanker SAND, operated by Vietnam’s Phuong Dong Oil Transport Co., was sailing from India to Iraq with 23 Vietnamese crew members on board. While navigating the Gulf of Oman, about 120 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz, the vessel received a distress signal on March 1 from the tanker MKD VYOM, registered in the Marshall Islands and located roughly 40 nautical miles away.

The stricken tanker, carrying about 61,000 tonnes of oil on a voyage from the Netherlands to Saudi Arabia, reported an uncontrolled fire on board. Despite security risks in the region, Captain Bui Duc Tuan decided to turn the vessel around after notifying the company and confirming the emergency.

Sailing through the night, the Vietnamese crew followed intermittent VHF signals from the distressed vessel until they spotted two lifeboats drifting at sea. The crew successfully rescued all 21 sailors from the tanker, including the Ukrainian captain, who had abandoned ship after failing to contain the blaze for several hours.

Many of the rescued seafarers were exhausted after battling the fire and drifting at sea. The Vietnamese crew provided water, food and medical assistance while bringing them aboard safely.

Following instructions from Omani authorities, the SAND transported the survivors to waters off the port of Muscat, where local rescue services later transferred them ashore on March 2.

The operation highlighted the solidarity and professionalism of Vietnamese seafarers, who prioritised saving lives at sea despite potential dangers in a volatile maritime region.

Tourist vessel catches fire in Ha Long Bay, all 41 rescued safely

VOV.VN - A tourist boat caught fire while cruising near Hang Co area in Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh province, on February 27, but all 41 people on board were brought safely ashore, local authorities said.