Vietnam provides refuge for over 300 Sri Lankans in distress at sea
Wednesday, November 09, 2022, 11:21 GMT+7
A total of 303 Sri Lankan nationals were rescued at sea off Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago and were transported to southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province on Tuesday night after their boat was damaged and found adrift on Sunday.
The first group of the Sri Lankans reached the Vietsovpetro port in Vung Tau, the capital city of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, at 8:15 pm on the day.
The remainder arrived shortly after.
They then moved to accommodations that had been arranged in advance in Vung Tau, Dat Do District, and Xuyen Moc District.
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| Officials persuade 303 Sri Lankans, who faced an accident at sea while allegedly on their way to flee their country, to move toward Vietnam’s land in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, November 8, 2022. Photo: Dong Ha / Tuoi Tre |
Japanese cargo ship Helios Leader, which was on its way from Japan to Singapore, saved the 303 Sri Lankan nationals on Monday, one day after their LADY R3 vessel, registered in Myanmar, broke down and drifted at sea off Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.
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| Rescuers give water to Sri Lankans, who faced an accident at sea while allegedly on their way to flee their country, during a rescue effort off Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, November 8, 2022. Photo: Dong Ha / Tuoi Tre |
LADY R3, which was said to illegally transport the Sri Lankans overseas to another country, sent out a mayday during the incident.
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| Vietnamese rescuers receive 303 Sri Lankans, who faced an accident at sea while allegedly on their way to flee their country, off Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, November 8, 2022. Photo: Dong Ha / Tuoi Tre |
Vietnam’s rescue ship SAR 413 approached Helios Leader off the water of Ba Ria-Vung Tau at 1:30 pm on Tuesday to pick up the people in distress, who initially refused to transfer to the Vietnamese boat.
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| Rescuers give milk to Sri Lankan children, who were among the group that faced an accident at sea while allegedly on their way to flee their country, during a rescue effort off Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, November 8, 2022. Photo: Dong Ha / Tuoi Tre |
Representatives of the Sri Lanka Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City had to spend several hours persuading the Sri Lankans before all of them agreed to move to the southern Vietnamese province at 5:50 pm on Tuesday.
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