In all, five fishermen were taken to the Nghệ An Friendship Hospital Polyclinic on Saturday for emergency treatment after inhaling toxic fumes in a cabin used to store fish on their fishing vessel. Three of the men have regained consciousness and are listed in stable condition.

The fishermen used the 3-metre height cabin to store fish while sailing, due to a lack of ice, VnExpress online newspaper reported.

On Saturday afternoon, after docking in Quỳnh Lưu District, one of the fishermen came down to the cabin to unload the fish and fell unconscious due to the toxic fumes. Four other tried to rescue him, and were also overcome by the fumes.

“Storing fish without ice would generate a foul smell and a mixture of gas and methane, which is extremely toxic,” said Doctor Trần Phương from the hospital’s intensive care unit. “This often results in a lack of oxygen and immediately causes respiratory failure, suffocation or hypotension." — VNS