Indonesian crew member dies, four others injured off central Vietnam coast

Four others, whose nationalities have not been disclosed, were heavily injured and sent to a hospital in Nha Trang, around 239 kilometers from Binh Thuan Province in south central Vietnam.

The ship, Chem Sinyoo, carrying chemicals from Singapore to China, suffered technical problems on Monday afternoon while passing Phu Quy Island, about 56 nautical miles from Phan Thiet Town of Binh Thuan Province. While repairing equipment in the engine room, giant waves struck the ship, causing the death of a 32-year-old Indonesian mechanic and serious injury to four others.

Without medical cover, the captain contacted Vietnamese authorities seeking help.

Nguyen Xuan Binh, director of Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) of Region 4 in Khanh Hoa, said the cargo ship delivered the victims to Nha Trang for treatment.

The center has dispatched two ships carrying medical staff to assist with the rescue, Binh added.

Prior to their transferal, the injured crew members were disinfected to prevent the possible spread of Covid-19.

Nguyen Hung Tan, commander of Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue in Binh Thuan Province, said another Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship was about to sink off the coast, 65 kilometers northwest of Phuc Tan Beach in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province.

The vessel was traveling at a speed of 10 kph and displayed emergency signals. Rescue forces are currently trying to approach the stricken ship.

Due to impacts of Storm Krovanh, which devolved back to a tropical depression Monday morning, Binh Thuan has experienced strong winds and high waves over the past few days.

Last week, a Panamanian ship carrying 15 crew members sank off Binh Thuan Province. Two Chinese crew members were found dead, with two others missing and 11 rescued.