Rescue Efforts Underway as Typhoon Bualoi Strands Fishermen off Quảng Trị Coast

Eleven fishermen originating from Ho Chi Minh City found themselves in dire circumstances early Sunday near the coast of Cửa Việt in Quảng Trị province when Typhoon Bualoi battered the area. Two vessels were affected—one capsized and sank while the other was rendered inoperable by the severe weather.

Authorities confirmed that eight crew members were rescued, but three remain missing as rescue operations persist.

At approximately 6 a.m., a fisherman's relative alerted officials that both boats had become stranded about 1.5 kilometers from the Cửa Việt channel entrance. One crewman from the sunken vessel managed to swim safely to shore, while the remaining seven aboard the disabled boat were trapped along the breakwater.

Responding promptly, the Quảng Trị Border Guard dispatched vessel CN-09 and twelve personnel to the scene. Although initial rescue efforts were impeded by heavy rain and turbulent waves, by 8:30 a.m., a small fishing boat from a nearby village reached the stranded crew, successfully bringing all seven individuals to safety.

The three fishermen from the sunken ship were last spotted on deck before the vessel submerged. It is believed they jumped into the sea attempting to swim ashore, but their whereabouts remain unknown.

The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported that at 7 a.m. on Sunday, the eye of Typhoon Bualoi was located over the sea between Quảng Trị and Đà Nẵng, approximately 170 kilometers east of Huế. The storm carried sustained winds of 118 to 133 km/h, corresponding to a Category 12 typhoon, with gusts reaching level 15 strength, moving west-northwest at roughly 30 km/h. Landfall was anticipated along the Quảng Trị - Nghệ An coastline by that afternoon.

Coastal areas stretching from Thanh Hóa to Quảng Ngãi—including islands such as Cồn Cỏ and Lý Sơn—were forecasted to experience progressively severe winds ranging from levels six through nine, intensifying to levels ten through thirteen near the storm's center. Waves were predicted to reach five to seven meters, creating highly hazardous maritime conditions.