Four Vietnamese crewmen who suffered from severe burns after their fishing vessel Jeong Woo 2 caught fire offshore New Zealand waters on January 1, have underwent surgeries and are now in stable health conditions.

Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand Nguyen Hong Cuong and first secretary in charge of consular affairs Nguyen Le Thanh on January 16 visited the crewmen in Christchurch hospital and helped them resume contact with their families in Vietnam.

Nguyen Tu Liem, one of the four crewmen, was discharged from hospital on January 14 and is scheduled to return to Vietnam in several days. Three others, including Tran Van Ngoan, Ngo Van Sy and Nguyen Chi Cong, are undergoing treatment and will return home after their health gets stable.

On the same day, Ambassador Cuong worked with Charlie S.Choi, Director of BCR Limited, which owns the Jeong Woo. The diplomat asked the company to promptly coordinate with rescue agencies of the Republic of Korea and New Zealand to search for the three missing Vietnamese sailors while preparing necessary procedures to bring others home.

The BCR representative pledged to repatriate the injured crewmen by air right after their health is recovered. Other crewmen are scheduled to arrive in Lyttelon port between January 19-22.

The company also committed to ensuring compensation and insurance payment for the Vietnamese crewmen through Vietnamese labour export companies.

New Zealand’s rescue agency said they have yet to get to the scene of the accident because the ship is still burning but promised to actively work with relevant agencies to search for the missing.

VNA