Search for Vietnam’s Vinalines Queen Ship

Vietnam’s Vinalines Queen Ship was still missing as of 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday, after more than 48 hours of disconnection and despite international joint search and rescue efforts, Vietnam News Agency reported on Tuesday quoting latest news from the Vietnam Maritime Rescue Cooperation Center (MRC).

According to MRC, at 7 a.m. local time on Dec. 25, the ship, coded XVHG, MMSI 574953000 and holding Vietnamese national flag, reported to the center that it had an 18 degree incline, and lost contact with Vinalines Company afterwards.

The ship was on its way from Morowali port of Indonesia to Ningde port of China, carrying 54,400 tons of nickel minerals and having 23 sailors on board, said MRC.

According to Deputy Director of Vinalines Company Bui Van Cac, right after disconnecting with the ship, MRC called for help from the Philippines rescue forces to launch search and rescue by helicopters, but due to the bad weather they could not find any sign of the missing ship.

Meanwhile, rescue forces from China’s Taiwan and the coast guards from Japan and China’s Hong Kong also joined hands in searching the ship around the location where the Vinalines Queen Ship was reported missing, but so far there is not any positive news.

MRC is continuing to contact with its partners in the region to call for cooperation in search for the missing ship.