Rescue ship SAR 413, belonging to Regional Maritime Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre No 3, took Joe Vanier, an ill 53-year-old Canadian man, to the mainland in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau at 7:45am on Thursday.

On Thursday morning, a rescue ship arrived to help treat a cruise ship passenger experiencing respiratory failure. 

The man then was taken to a hospital in HCM City for urgent treatment. Previously, Joe was on his cruise ship OVATION OF THE SEAS, leaving for Singapore from Vung Tau Port. He reportedly began to show symptoms of respiratory failure at midnight on Wednesday.

The captain of the cruise ship had immediately contacted the rescue centre for help at 00:02am on Thursday.

After receiving the request, the centre told the captain to change the ship’s direction to return to Vung Tau. The centre also required doctors from HCM City-based FV Hospital to instruct people in the cruise ship to give first aid to Vanier.

In the meantime, the centre dispatched the rescue ship to quickly take Vanier to the mainland. The rescue ship met the cruise ship at 5:30am on Thursday. — VNS