The Vietnam Maritime Department and the central province of Khanh Hoa staged a maritime rescue exercise in Nha Trang bay on July 21.

The exercise simulated a collision between a foreign cargo ship and a Vietnamese fishing vessel offshore Khanh Hoa province, resulting in a leak on the fishing vessel and a fire on the cargo ship.

Several fishermen were assumed to fall into the sea, and some sailors on the cargo ship suffered from injuries and burn.

In response to the situation, three ships were sent from the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Centre to the site, while the Nha Trang Maritime Port Authorities and the Vietnam Naval Academy each dispatched one ship. Two fishing vessels also joined the drill, together with medical teams.

Apart from sharpening relevant agencies’ skills in search and rescue activities, the exercise aimed to raise the people’s awareness on observing safety regulations at sea. It was also to build up fishermen’s trust in rescue capability and support from coastal authorities, in line with the 1979 International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue.-VNA