3 dead, 1 missing after boat sinks off Hue

January 20, 2014 | 09:34

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Three were found dead and one remains missing after a fishing boat sank off the central province of Thua Thien Hue on Saturday.

The boat failed to turn on its engine and was stranded just one kilometer away from Thuan An seaport at 7am on Jan. 18. It was later capsized by strong waves.

According to survivor Ho Hien who is also the boat owner, five fishermen on board managed to cling onto a floating part of the boat’s cabin and sent an SOS.

At 9am the same day - just two hours after the incident - rescuers arrived at the scene.

Hien said when the boat’s engine failed, all five of them wore life-jackets but the jackets got stuck in the fishing nets so they had to take them off.

According to senior lieutenant colonel Nguyen Dang Tam, head of Thuan An border gate, the three victims whose bodies were later found are Nguyen Van Hai, 42, Pham Toa, 42, and Vo Van Hoang, 50. The missing fisherman is Pham Thu, 56.

Local authorities have indentified the location where the boat capsized and is trying to salvage it.

Tam said the boat’s owner will not receive any compensation because he did not buy insurance.

Tuoi Tre

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