VietNamNet Bridge - Three Vietnamese workers aboard the cruise ship Costa Concordia, which sank just off an Italian island, have been confirmed safe by the Vietnamese Embassy there.
Mai Thi Phuong Thy, Truong Dinh Duy, and Danh Oanh Di from Ho Chi Minh City and Kien Giang Province, jumped out of the ship when it sank, swam to the nearby island and were rescued by the islanders, the embassy said on January 17.

They are all now healthy and are staying at a hotel in the capital Rome.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Dang Khanh Thoai visited the Vietnamese nationals at the hotel and asked the Costa Concordia tourism company to give them assistance and ensure their rights in terms of salary and compensation.

The Vietnamese embassy will help them buy clothes and other essentials, as well as issue travel papers for them to return early to Vietnam.

The Costa Concordia ship, carrying 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crewmembers, ran aground on January 13, leaving at least 12 dead and 24 missing.

PV