The situation surrounding the MSC Hermes III containership remains unclear following an emergency evacuation of a crew member by Vietnamese authorities on September 29. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore previously coordinated the evacuation on September 22, with the vessel later being towed.
On September 28, the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center received an urgent distress call while the ship was located south of Vietnam. The captain reported that a 30-year-old crew member had sustained a severe head injury due to a fall and was exhibiting serious symptoms, including vomiting and unconsciousness. The crew member’s condition was deemed critical, necessitating immediate medical intervention.
The ship was situated approximately 30 nautical miles northeast of Vung Tau Ward when the Vietnam Maritime Administration dispatched a specialized rescue vessel, SAR 272, with two medical personnel on board. They arrived at the containership early on September 29, provided initial medical care, and transported the injured crew member to a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. There are suspicions that the crew member may have inhaled toxic gas.
While the circumstances leading to the initial evacuation of the 25 crew members remain unreported, they reportedly abandoned the ship and were rescued by another MSC vessel. The MSC Hermes III was subsequently drifting before being towed back to Vietnam, where it docked at PHU MY Port on September 29.
