VietNamNet Bridge - Oil is leaking from the stranded cargo vessel Brigh Troyol, Quang Ngai Port Authority reported yesterday.

Foreign ship in distress near Ly Son Island

The ship, which ran aground off Ly Son Island, is now in a threatened situation and is likely to sink, added the port authority.

According to the provincial border guards, the cargo ship crashed into a reef, causing two large holes at the bottom of two chambers.

The ship was later found to be leaking fuel oil from cracks in its two oil tanks containing 387 tonnes of fuel oil.

The oil slick continues to spread out over the sea surface, said the provincial border guards.

The Quang Ngai Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control ordered the provincial People's Committee to work with relevant agencies to promptly rescue the sailors and deal with the oil spill.

The incident happened at 3:46am on October 3 in the waters of Ly Son Island (6 nautical miles northeast of the island). After receiving a signal for help, the Border Guard Forces of central Quang Ngai Province sent 60 border guards to rescue the Panamanian cargo ship.

All 24 crew members were in stable health but remain on the vessel, insisting that they must wait for guidance from their parent company until yesterday evening, October 5.

The 28,259-tonne ship, owned by the Vanguard Maritime Ltd Co, ran aground while on its way from Vung Ang port, central Ha Tinh province, to Bangladesh.

The ship in distress.

Oil from the ship.

Sailors are evacuated from the vessel.

Representatives of the parent company are now in Dung Quat Port to fulfill formalities to take the sailors home.

Captain Babnik Uzzal Chandra (Bangladesh) told the local officials about the incident.

Source: VNS/VNE