Vietnam's foreign ministry rejects reports of Vietnamese ship being attacked near Strait of Hormuz as false

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang made the statement at the ministry's regular press briefing on Thursday afternoon in response to a question about the NV Sunshine, which some foreign news agencies had reported was attacked on October 9.

Hang said the reports had attracted the attention of many news agencies in recent days.

"On the morning of October 10, NVTrans, the owner of the NV Sunshine, issued an official statement affirming that reports of the vessel being attacked were fake and completely untrue.

"The NV Sunshine was not attacked and continues to operate safely and normally. The company also maintains regular contact with the vessel to keep abreast of its actual operating status," Hang said.

She added that the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran was continuing to coordinate with local authorities to ensure the highest possible level of security and safety for Vietnamese vessels and crews transiting the area.

Previously, the Vietnam Maritime and Waterway Administration said that from the evening of October 9 through October 10, several foreign news agencies, media outlets and social media platforms had published and shared reports that the 'NV Sunshine was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz and a fire broke out in the engine room.'

However, the administration affirmed that reports of an attack and fire were inconsistent with the vessel's actual condition.

The speculation was believed to have originated from a statement by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which said its forces had 'attacked a large liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier named NV Sunshine owned by NatWit.'

The Iranian side said the vessel had intended to transit the Strait of Hormuz via the southern corridor, which the force considers 'illegal.'

Also addressing the situation in the Middle East, Hang said no Vietnamese citizens had been reported to have been affected by the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia as of October 15.

She advised Vietnamese citizens in Saudi Arabia to continue following instructions from local authorities and avoid large gatherings or travel to dangerous areas.

For those planning to travel to Saudi Arabia at this time, Hang advised assessing the situation and avoiding travel unless absolutely necessary.