A total of 18 crew members have been rescued following the engine room of a Thai vessel named Nordana Sophia, breaking down and flooding with water whilst out at sea in the central province of Ha Tinh on November 28, according to reports by the Ha Tinh Maritime Port Authority.

The 8.976-tonnage cargo ship, coded HSCP2, was at severe risk of sinking after the engine room become inundated with water. All of the 18 crew members on board were Thai nationals. 

Immediately after receiving an emergency distress signal, the Ha Tinh Maritime Port Authority dispatched several ships, including Son Duong 1501, Son Duong 1502, and Thien Tai 86 to the scene in order to rescue the crew of the Nordana Sophia.

Currently, 13 of the ship’s crew have been successfully brought ashore, while the remaining three sailors are on board rescue ships.

The Ha Tinh Port Authority has also informed the ship’s owner to promptly take preventive measures in a bid to prevent possible oil spills.

The Nordana Sophia first left the port of Hong Kong to travel to Son Duong Port in order to collect goods when it encountered problems with the engine room. At present, there is a total of 178 tonnes of fuel on board the vessel.