Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem yesterday chaired a meeting with relevant ministries and branches on furthering search and rescue efforts for fishing boat QNg 66478 TS and its nine-member crew. The boat and nine fishermen onboard were captured by China on September 11 and released, as the Chinese side reported, on Monday. However, there has been no communications with the boat and its crew since then.

“The Party and State are very keenly watching this incident” and “in the meantime, the most important duty is to concentrate on searching and rescuing the fishermen,” Khiem said.

He instructed ministries, responsible branches and localities to mobilise all forces, including the navy, the border guard, maritime police, search and rescue personnel and civil boats, in the search for the missing boat and its crew.

Khiem also asked the Foreign Ministry to continue requests for China to co-operate in the search and create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese side’s search and rescue operation.

He required the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People’s Committee of the central province of Quang Ngai to provide assistance to the families of the fishermen.

Coupled with the measures undertaken by the Foreign Ministry, Vietnamese authorised agencies and localities have actively searched for the vessel.

On Thursday, the Viet Nam National Committee for Search and Rescue requested the Border Guard Command to inform its forces stationed in coastal cities and provinces as well as Vietnamese fishermen operating in the East Sea to co-operate in the search.

The Viet Nam National Committee for Search and Rescue yesterday issued a maritime search and rescue announcement for boat QNg 66478 TS.

By 4pm yesterday, the boat had not arrived in Ly Son and Vietnamese authorised agencies, localities and families of the fishermen had not been able to communicate with the boat and its crew.

Also yesterday, a representative of the Vietnamese embassy in China met with a representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry to discuss the issue. At the meeting, the Chinese side said the Chinese agencies had on Thursday afternoon launched a patrol ship to search the route that the Quang Ngai boat was expected to take to return home.

From yesterday afternoon, the Chinese side also launched a helicopter to search for the boat and said it would inform the Vietnamese side of any sighting.

Source: VNS