Border Guard forces help manage the aftermath of a passenger ferry fire off Phu Quoc Island. — Office of the National Civil Defence Steering Committee via Vietnam News/ANN
KIEN GIANG: Forty passengers and crew members were safely rescued early Wednesday morning (Oct 29) after a passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Phu Quoc Island in southern Vietnam, authorities said.
According to the Office of the National Civil Defence Steering Committee, the incident occurred at around 3:40am on Wednesday when the Kim Thuy Lam ferry, carrying 40 people, suddenly caught fire east of Phu Quoc Island.
All passengers and crew members put on life jackets as the captain sent an emergency distress signal requesting immediate assistance.
The Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (VMRCC) quickly issued a maritime alert, maintained radio contact, provided medical guidance, and directed the ferry to move closer to shore for support.
Meanwhile, the An Giang Provincial Civil Defence Command, the Border Guard Command, the Navy, and the Coast Guard deployed vessels operating nearby to assist with the rescue operation.
By 5:20am, the ferry had safely reached Bai Vong Port on Phu Quoc, and all passengers and crew were evacuated without injury, according to a report from the VMRCC.
Border Guard forces and other agencies are now working to assess the damage and support post-incident recovery efforts.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire. - Vietnam News/ANN
