Ha Tinh Maritime Port Authority announced the news at todays' meeting to address matters concerning the sunken ship Cong Thanh 07 in Ha Tinh Province's waters.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ha Tinh province, Thinh Thanh Transport Joint Stock Company (owner of Cong Thanh 07), Northern Coal Trading Joint Stock Company (cargo owner), insurance and appraisal units.
According to the Ha Tinh Maritime Port Authority's information, Cong Thanh 07 sank on May 25 within the province's seaport waters. The ship was carrying approximately 30 cubic meters of diesel oil, 1,400 liters of lubricating oil, and 4,952.06 tons of coal. The sinking occurred in an area frequently traversed by maritime vessels.
To date, measures for oil spill prevention and ensuring maritime safety around the sunken ship remain significantly limited.
The Ha Tinh Maritime Port Authority has therefore issued an urgent directive to the ship owner, demanding immediate action. This includes:
- Determining the precise status and location of the sunken vessel.
- Establishing proper maritime signals to ensure the safety of other ships operating in the vicinity.
- Expeditiously developing and implementing a plan for the salvage of all sunken assets, encompassing both the ship and its cargo.
- Crucially, immediately recovering all remaining oil on board to prevent any potential oil spills.
- Contracting a qualified oil spill response unit to be on standby, ready to respond and manage any oil spills or leaks, thereby safeguarding the marine environment.
The Ha Tinh Maritime Port Authority has further requested the ship owner to submit a detailed and specific schedule for the completion of oil pumping and salvage operations for the sunken assets before June 16, 2025.
According to SGGP, at 8:40 p.m. on May 25, the Ha Tinh Maritime Port Authority received an emergency report from Cong Thanh 07. The ship, with a deadweight of 5,162.5 tons and carrying 4,952.06 tons of coal, was en route from Quang Ninh Province to Quang Binh Province when it encountered an accident in the waters off Ky Loi Commune of Ha Tinh Province.
On board were 11 crew members from the Northern and North Central province of Thai Binh and Thanh Hoa and the Southern province of Binh Phuoc. The vessel began to tilt and soon took on water in its hold, ultimately sinking. The Ha Tinh Maritime Port Authority responded swiftly, issuing safety instructions and launching rescue operations.
Using the vessel traffic system (VTS) and reports from nearby vessels, authorities confirmed that all crew members had evacuated the ship before it sank.
Rescue teams were immediately dispatched. By 1:30 p.m. on May 26, all 11 crew members were safely rescued and brought to Vung Ang port.
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