After finalizing the maintenance and logistic services, Binh Minh 02 oil exploration ship and eight guard ships left the Nha Trang Port in the central province of Khan Hoa on June 5, to continue its seismic surveillance in the East Sea.

Three guardian ships at the Nha Trang port on June 5.

The ship had to dock at the Nha Trang Port for maintenance after its cable was snipped by three Chinese patrol ships on May 26.

As of June 5, the ship’s group of guardians has increased from five to eight ships.

Major Nguyen Quang Huy, captain of Truong Sa 20, one of the guardian ship of Binh Minh 02, said on June 5, that two days after the incident on May 26, a Chinese spy plane glided over the sea area were Binh Minh 02 worked, around 64 miles to the east from Vietnam’s Dai Lanh Cape.

On May 21, a plane with Chinese scripts also flew over the area where Binh Minh 02 operated. Guardian ships took photo and film the plane.

Nguyen Hong Quan, captain of VT7739 ship, which participated in driving away three Chinese patrol ships on May 26, said that two days after the Binh Minh 02 incident, five Chinese fishing boats ran around the area where the oil exploration ship worked. Guardian ships had to drive them away to ensure security for Binh Minh 02.

On May 26, three Chinese patrol ships intruded Vietnam’s territorial waters to hinder and cut cables of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group’s Binh Minh 02 ship. This act is considered China’s provoking in the East Sea, aiming to turn Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone into a disputed area to serve its plot to occupy 80 percent of the East Sea.

The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry has strongly protested China’s audacious act.

The incident in photos shot by Binh Minh 02’s guardian ships:

In the morning of May 26, guardian ships of Binh Minh 02 detected some strange

ships in the territorial waters of Vietnam.

The three strange ships appeared in the area where the Binh Minh 02 was exploring oil,

around 64 miles east from Dai Lanh Cape of Vietnam’s Phu Yen province.

Nguyen The Dung, vice captain of VT7739, a guardian ship, said that defining

the three strange ships as Chinese patrol ships, three guardian ships sped up

to prevent and drive Chinese ships away. Other Vietnamese naval ships also came to help.

Chinese patrol ships turned away and ran at high speeds, form 17-22 miles per hour.

After that, they ran into three directions and suddenly returned to the area

where Binh Minh 02 ship was operating to cut its cables.

Before making the intrusion and cutting Binh Minh 02’s cable, planes with

Chinese scripts appeared in the area where the oil exploration ship worked.

They appeared in this area again two days after the intrusion.

Binh Minh 02 landed at Nha Trang Port from June 2-5 for maintenance after the incident.

PV (photo: VNE)