Four crew members were seriously injured and three fishermen remain missing after an explosion occurred on a fishing boat offshore the southwestern province of Kien Giang.



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An injured fisherman is rushed to the hospital. A fishing boat explosion offshore Kiên Giang province yesterday left four people injured and another three remain missing.


Authorities said the explosion occurred at about 5pm yesterday when the boat was about 10 nautical miles from Hon Thom Island.

The force of the blast threw the three fishermen into the sea and left serious burns on the bodies of three of the four crew members, they said.

The crew members were rushed to nearby Phu Quoc Island by the Coast Guard and later to Phu Quoc General Hospital, where they are in stable but serious condition.

An overheated engine caused the explosion, according to the survivors.

Nguyen Thanh Nha of Ca Mau Province is the owner of the boat, the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard is continuing its search for the three missing fishermen.

VNS