Wounded foreign sailors rescued by Vietnamese doctors

• Over 14 million foreigners visit Vietnam during January-November
• New foreign capital in Vietnam up over first 11 months
• Chinese sailor troubled at sea rescued by Vietnamese doctors

Niel Pasadas Veronilla, 20, a Filipino sailor, got a serious injury in his right hand and was heavily bleeding while working on Greek ship Anangel Merchant which was on its voyage from Vietnam’s Son Duong port to Australia. The ship requested the Vietnamese authorities to take the injured to Nha Trang for emergency treatment.

Crewmembers on board ship SAR27-01 taking Niel Pasadas Veronilla ashore for treatment.

After receiving the information, the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center contacted and instructed the ship how to provide first aid to the sailor and to steer the ship to Nha Trang as fast as possible.

The center at the same time sent ship SAR27-01 to ship Anangel Merchantto take the Filipino sailor ashore.

Earlier, on November 29, the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center also brought a foreign sailor, who was in an occupational accident and suffered a fatal injury, to Nha Trang port of the central province of Khanh Hoa for treatment.

The wounded sailor was Cometa Ronald Rutor, a Panamanian born in 1965 who was working on C. Glogy vessel. On November 28, while his ship was travelling from the Republic of Korea to Singapore, he was involved in an accident that badly smashed his fingers and caused him to lose a significant amount of blood. 

As the ship was located 306 nautical miles off Khanh Hoa province’s Nha Trang city, its captain sent an urgent request to transfer the injured crew member to Nha Trang for medical treatment.

Receiving the request, the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center contacted the ship directly to provide first aid guidance for the wounded. However, as the victim’s condition worsened, the centre sent vessel SAR27-01 from Nha Trang port to promptly carry him to the city. At 12:50pm on November 29, the sailor was brought to land and rushed to the hospital.

Since the beginning of this year, the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center has rescued many foreign sailors who were injured while travelling in Vietnam's waters.