Vietnam carries out citizen protection measures for sailors
The Vietnamese Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau (China) on January 9 met with sides relevant in an oil tanker blaze in Hong Kong’s southern waters to find the causes of the incident and discuss search and rescue measures.
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| Aulac Fortune oil tanker caught fire in Hong Kong's southern waters on January 8. (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
The Hong Kong side said the tank is still at risk of catching fire again. The local search and rescue team is looking for two missing sailors and finding ways to get inside the vessel, it added.
The Vietnamese Consulate General said it has supplied necessities for injured sailors, while the ship owner suggested the arrangement of accommodation for the group.
The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry has directed the consulate general to continue working closely with the sides to address the case and carry out necessary citizen protection measures.
The fire occurred when the 17,500-tonne tanker was preparing to be refueled by an oil barge. At that time, there were 27 crew members on board, including 25 Vietnamese and two Hongkongers. Before the accident on January 8, the Aulac Fortune docked in Dongguan port in Guangdong, China.
The Hong Kong Marine Police is in charge of finding the cause of the incident. Several fireboats, one helicopter and one police boat are circling the scene. Police mentioned the possibility that the two missing are still stranded aboard.
Currently, accommodation is arranged for the Aulac Fortune’s 21 crew members at Panda Hotel in Tsuen Wan district while Vu Tien Anh, who suffered burns, is still hospitalised.
