A stroke-hit Filipino sailor is brought to shore by the Vietnamese search and rescue force on August 4. (Photo: The Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre)

The centre’s rescue team was activated at midnight of August 3 following a request for assistance from the Malta-flagged vessel HARRIS with a crewman named Domingo G.Honolario on board who showed signs of a stroke with full paralysis of one side of his body.

The ship, sailing from China to Malaysia, was in the waters about 200 nautical miles to the southeast of Vung Tau Cape in the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau.

The team provided the crew with first aid instructions and asked the ship to make its way closer to the province.

However, Domingo’s condition was getting worse with life-threatening symptoms, making the centre to immediately dispatch the rescue ship SAR 413 with military doctors on board to the site.

Approaching the vessel at 14:30 on August 4, the rescue ship brought the patient to shore and handed him to representatives of the Ba Ria – Vung Tau Border Guard Command and the vessel owner – ISS-Gemadept HCM City who later took him to the hospital. –VNA