Vietnamese Authorities Continue Search For Fishers From Missing Tuna Boat

Nine Vietnamese fishermen went missing on September 27 after their mini purse seiner ‘BD 97258 TS’ left to catch tuna on September 12 from Vietnam’s southern coastal province of Khánh Hòa. Coast Guard officials have been searching for the crew over the past week and confirmed yesterday that they have not received any information about them. The vessel was operated by its owner, who was also the captain, along with eight fishers, and was fishing 147 nautical miles (272 km) southeast of Quy Nhon when contact was lost. Officials were alerted by the crew members’ families who notified they had not been in contact with the boat for hours. The reason for its disappearance stays in the dark.

Local political leaders in Gia Lai province, near the coast where the boat went missing, have announced to set up a temporary command post to direct the search, and requested officials for its urgent completion. In another tragic incident that happened on October 5, a fishing boat with 11 Vietnamese   fishers sank after it was hit by a Korean oil tanker. A nearby vessel managed to rescue ten of them, but the captain, who is also the owner, is still missing.