At around 12 noon on September 2, the Border Guard of Kien Giang province received an urgent report that barge number KG 494xx on its way from Rach Gia city to Phu Quoc, encountered big waves and strong winds in the sea near Hon Tre island (Kien Hai district). The captain turned the ship back but was sunk by the waves.
The Kien Giang Provincial Border Guard Command quickly mobilized human resources, vehicles, and equipment, coordinating with other forces and the victims' families to search for the victims. By 5:50 p.m. the same day, the Border Guard force had found and rescued three victims.
According to the Kien Giang Border Guard, Mr. Le Hoang Vu (born in 1974), residing in Vinh Thong ward, Rach Gia city, reported that his ship departed from Vinh Xuong district, An Giang province, completed departure procedures at Kenh Dai Border Guard control station, Tay Yen Border Guard station to Phu Quoc on the afternoon of September 1.
At 4am on September 2, they started to weigh anchor and depart for Phu Quoc, but when they reached the sea near Hon Tre Island, Kien Hai District, they encountered the above incident. The barge captain called to inform Mr. Vu that the vehicle had sunk, and the 3 crew members were drifting near the sea area between Rach Gia and Hon Tre.
Immediately after rescuing the 3 victims and bringing them to Tay Yen Border Guard Station, the unit sent medical staff to take care of them. Currently, the health of the 3 people has stabilized.
It is known that this barge was rented by another person to Mr. Vu to transport sand and rocks from the mainland to the island (when it sank, the ship was transporting about 600 tons of sand and bricks).
