According to the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, the cargo ship, owned by a Japanese company with 18 crew members of Vietnamese nationality, sent a distress signal at about 7:30 am on December 1 (Vietnam time).

The Panamanian Huoei Crystal cargo vessel.

It was transporting coal from Russia’s Nakhodka to Japan’s Kinuura and sent the signal from waters about 380 km northwest of the Oki Islands and later sank.

The crew members abandoned the vessel into the ocean and one member still remains missing.

The 17 crew members escaped using a lifeboat and were rescued by a RoK search and rescue ship at about 2:16 am on December 2 (Vietnam time) and were brought to Donghae port.

Belgium rescues 49 migrants, mainly Vietnamese

Belgian authorities on Wednesday rescued 49 mainly Vietnamese migrants who were attempting a sea crossing to Britain, apparently from France, the Bruges prosecutor's office said.

Over 1,130 wild animals rescued in Việt Nam in 2020

As many as 1,132 wild animals were successfully rescued in Việt Nam last year, according to the Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV), a local NGO focused on the conservation of nature and the environment.

Vietnamese forces rescue Russian vessel stranded at sea

A Russian vessel and its six-member crew were rescued by the Vietnamese Navy when its engine died at sea off Khanh Hoa Province.

Vietnam rescues Filipino fishermen stranded at sea

Four Filipino fishermen were rescued by a Vietnamese fishing vessel after being separated from their ship at sea.

Source: NDO