On August 4, the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Beaches Management Board commended Phan Thanh Trinh, head of Task Force No. 2, and his colleague Pham Nhu Dong, a fellow officer on the beach tourism order management team, for their prompt and voluntary action in assisting a foreign tourist in recovering lost property.

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Mr. Nguyen Duc Vu (left), Head of the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Beaches Management Board, honors officer Phan Thanh Trinh. Photo: G.X

On the night of July 31, a tourist from Australia posted a plea in a local expat community group, sharing that her daughter had lost a diamond ring on Cua Dai Beach, located in the Hoi An Dong ward of Da Nang.

Upon receiving the message, Phan Thanh Trinh discussed the situation with Pham Nhu Dong, 35, from An Hai Ward, and the two volunteered to search for the ring free of charge. After several hours of combing through the sand along the shoreline, they finally located the ring and returned it to the guest.

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Officer Trinh uses a metal detector while wading along the beach to find the tourist’s ring. Photo: G.X

Trinh recalled that when he handed over the recovered ring, the male tourist burst into tears and immediately called his family to share the good news. The diamond ring, valued at over $2,000 (approximately 53 million VND), held great sentimental value for the family.

This wasn’t the first time Trinh and his colleagues assisted tourists. Just days earlier, on July 25, they had helped two visitors recover lost phones on My Khe Beach.

Trinh shared that when residents or tourists need help, the team is ready to assist at any hour or distance, as long as the request is within the unit’s scope and guided by superiors. Even in cases outside their official jurisdiction, Trinh said he would offer help if possible - without ever charging a fee.

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The tourist holds the recovered ring after being assisted by officers Trinh (right) and Dong. Photo: G.X

“I think this is a normal act. In this situation, anyone in Da Nang with the right equipment to detect metal would do the same. They’d help anyone - whether a foreigner or a local,” Trinh said.

According to the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Beaches Management Board, in the first six months of this year, the beach patrol team helped recover lost items for tourists 31 times, including 11 cases involving foreign visitors and one item valued at over 60 million VND.

Da Nang’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism praised the dedication of the beach patrol team, calling it a shining example that enhances the city’s reputation for friendliness and hospitality.

Ho Giap