Fire destroys 16 fishing boats on Vietnam's Thi Nai Lagoon, leaving fishermen destitute

Dozens of fishermen have been left with nothing after a fire engulfed 16 fishing boats on Thi Nai Lagoon in Gia Lai province on June 29. The blaze, which occurred in the Nhơn Phước area of Quy Nhơn Đông ward, has devastated the livelihoods of many who were already struggling after recent typhoons and rising fuel costs.

One affected fisherwoman, Đặng Thị Tư, 49, described her sleepless night, haunted by the image of her burning boat. Her vessel, purchased in 2022, had recently undergone costly repairs after suffering severe damage from Typhoon No. 13. Despite these efforts, the boat had only managed four trips before becoming unprofitable due to increased fuel prices. Before the fire, her family was seeking approval to deregister the boat, but the application was still pending when the blaze erupted.

"Now the boat is gone, and my family still owes about 450 million dong (approximately $18,000 USD), including nearly 300 million dong from a bank loan and about 150 million dong from relatives. For now, I plan to stay home and do sewing or sell fish to make a living," she said tearfully.

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Now the boat is gone, and my family still owes about 450 million dong, including nearly 300 million dong from a bank loan and about 150 million dong from relatives. For now, I plan to stay home and do sewing or sell fish to make a living.

Ông Nguyễn Phong, 58, also lost his 700 CV-capacity squid fishing boat, built in 2005 and extensively repaired over the years. The boat, valued at around 900 million dong (approximately $36,000 USD), typically employed four crew members per trip. He explained that for months, fishing had been inefficient, with earnings barely covering expenses due to high fuel prices. He had borrowed about 300 million dong from relatives for repairs and operations.

About a month prior to the fire, Mr. Phong had decided the boat was no longer viable and moved it to a mooring area, intending to deregister it. However, his application was not yet submitted when the fire destroyed the vessel. "We hope for a prompt resolution regarding deregistration policies and for support to help us repay our debts and stabilize our lives," he shared.

Initial reports indicate that 12 boats were completely destroyed and four were partially damaged. One person sustained burns while assisting in firefighting efforts. The provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment stated that the fire started around noon on June 29. Due to a low tide, many boats were stranded, allowing the flames to spread rapidly. The fire was completely contained by the afternoon. Gia Lai Provincial Police are investigating the cause.

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We hope for a prompt resolution regarding deregistration policies and for support to help us repay our debts and stabilize our lives.