Captain missing as Vietnamese fishing boat sunk by S.Korean vessel

Colonel Nguyen The Vinh, commander of the Gia Lai Military Command, confirmed the incident on Sunday and noted that the tanker involved carries IMO identification number 009448853.

The incident was first reported by Cat Khanh Border Guard Station, which informed authorities that fishing boat BD-83019 had been struck and sunk at sea.

The vessel, owned and captained by Nguyen Tran Ut, 50, a resident of De Gi Commune, Gia Lai, departed from Ca Na Border Guard Control Station in Khanh Hoa Province on the afternoon of October 4 for net fishing.

At around 10:30 pm the same day, the boat was hit and sank about 17 nautical miles southeast of Ca Na Port.

Authorities said the oil tanker continued its journey without attempting a rescue, with limited night-time visibility believed to have prevented it from noticing the fishing boat.

Before sinking completely, the fishing boat sent out a SOS signal.

A nearby Gia Lai fishing boat, captained by Nguyen Van Tao, 36, responded and brought ten crew members to Ca Na Port in Khanh Hoa.

The only missing person is captain Ut, believed to be trapped in the cabin.

Relevant agencies in Gia Lai have requested regional naval and coast guard forces, along with local rescue centers, to deploy vessels and teams in search of the captain.

They also urged the provincial People’s Committee to notify the Vietnam Maritime Administration under the Ministry of Transport, so it can track the South Korean tanker and coordinate response efforts.