Nguyen Ngoc Kim Thi was discovered by a fisherman around 8 a.m. on Sunday, approximately six nautical miles (11 km) from where she fell in the waters off central Binh Thuan Province. She was brought ashore and taken to a local medical center for evaluation.
A representative from Phu Quy Island District confirmed that Thi’s life vest played a key role in her survival. Authorities are continuing their search for another missing person, 19-year-old Can Hoang Minh Nam.
Fishermen use boats to bring Nguyen Ngoc Kim Thi back to shore on Oct. 27, 2024. Video by Phu Quy
On Saturday afternoon, a group of six tourists came to Phu Quy Island, using two boats to sail off into the sea, about 200 m away from the shore. At around 6 p.m., strong winds and waves swept the group away.
Employees of the hotel then used motorboats to rescue them and managed to retrieve three. The others, who were on the same boat, were swept away.
A tourist managed to swim back to shore in the night, about a kilometer away from where the incident happened.
A search is ongoing for the missing tourist.
Phu Quy Island is located about 104 km away from Phan Thiet. It is a popular tourist destination.