Fishing boat collision with cargo ship off Vietnam coast kills one, 16 rescued

A collision between a fishing boat and a cargo ship off the coast of Phu Hai port in Vietnam's Lam Dong province resulted in the fishing boat sinking and the death of one fisherman. Sixteen other crew members were rescued.

The accident occurred on the morning of July 6, approximately 10 nautical miles southeast of Phu Hai port. The fishing vessel, identified by its registration number BTh 98379 TS and a capacity of 420 CV, was engaged in fishing activities when it collided with the cargo ship Viet Thuan 11-07. The impact caused the fishing boat to sink immediately.

On board the fishing boat were 17 fishermen, led by the owner and captain, Phan Van Chi, 54, from Phu Thuy ward, Lam Dong province. Following the collision, numerous fishing boats operating in the vicinity quickly responded to rescue the distressed crew. Despite these efforts, one fisherman sustained severe injuries and died at the scene.

In the early afternoon of July 6, another fishing boat brought 15 fishermen, who were in stable condition, along with the deceased's body to shore. One crew member remained at the scene to oversee the sunken fishing boat. The boat docked at Phu Hai port around 2 p.m., where relevant authorities took custody of the victim's body for further procedures.

Authorities are currently conducting an autopsy on the deceased fisherman before handing the body over to the family for funeral arrangements. Meanwhile, the cargo ship Viet Thuan 11-07 is also scheduled to dock at the port to cooperate with authorities in the investigation to determine the cause of the collision. The Thanh Hai Border Guard is working with the Binh Thuan Maritime Port Authority to investigate and resolve the incident.