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On Wednesday afternoon Nguyen Van Thai, 56, a native of Duong To Commune, and some others heard a group of tourists in the water calling for help.
The three adults and two children were swimming on Bai Truong beach when they were buffeted by giant waves.
Thai and several others swam in and prevented the tourists from drowning as a man named Do Duy Dung, 35, rowed a coracle to the scene and took four of them to safety.
One of the children was saved by another tourist.
Thai swam back to shore but was exhausted and taken to a hospital for emergency aid where he died of heart failure.
All five tourists are safe.
It is now the storm season in southern Vietnam and strong waves are routine.
Phu Quoc is one of the top tourist attractions in Vietnam and foreign visitors allowed to fly in without a visa.
In the first six months of this year it attracted 2.4 million visitors.
Local people pick up a group of tourists saved from strong waves off Bai Truong Beach in Phu Quoc Island. Video acquired by VnExpress
