A Panamanian vessel collided with a barge this morning while running on Thi Vai River in the Can Gio District, resulting in a crash that has left one missing.

Divers are dispatched to seek for the missing captain.

The accident happened at around 9.45 am as the vessel, named Seiyo Harmony, was approaching port call at Thị Vải General Port in the southern coastal province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau.

The barge, coded VL 9009, sank and its captain Bui Thi Bich Van went missing. Its owner and chief mechanic Nguyen Ba Viet was rescued.

Vung Tau Maritime Administration search and rescue unit under HCM City’s Fire Prevention and Fighting Police Department are seeking for the missing captain.

Divers have been dispatched to the accident site to search inside the sunken barge in case the victim was trapped. A tow boat has been tasked to move the barge toward the shore to free the lane for other vessels. 

VNS