Three Vietnamese men who were swept far off the country’s central coast by Typhoon Kalmaegi have been miraculously rescued after drifting helplessly for more than 40 hours, according to a rescuer and the wife of one of the survivors.
They were pulled from the water during a multi-vessel operation on Saturday, after teams spent hours scouring the turbulent seas off Vietnam’s central region.
The typhoon had slammed into the country on Thursday, killing at least five people and striking just days after it left more than 200 dead in the Philippines.
Phan Hau, 40, a sailor aboard the An Vinh Express rescue ship, told AFP that the crew was stunned to find the men alive. “We were completely shocked—it felt miraculous,” he said. “Most of us believed we were only searching for bodies, not survivors.”
Swept Away After Rescue Attempt
State media reported that the ordeal began on Thursday afternoon when one of the men, 44-year-old Duong Quang Cuong, jumped into the sea following a family dispute. His friends, Le Quang Sanh and Pham Duy Quang, set out in a small rowboat with life jackets to save him, but their vessel overturned in the rough waters. All three were carried away by powerful currents and became separated.
On Saturday morning, Pham Duy Quang was the first to be rescued by the Hai Nam 39 south of Ly Son Island, where the group had originally departed.
The crew immediately radioed authorities, prompting the deployment of the An Vinh Express to continue the search.
It took the second vessel nearly two hours to reach the area where Quang had been found drifting. Crews then began a meticulous sweep along the southward-flowing current.
Unexpected Sight
Hau recalled the dramatic moment the team spotted the second missing man, Sanh.
“At first, we didn’t realise it was him. We had imagined Sanh wearing a red life jacket, because that’s what we were searching for,” he said. “But he had taken off the vest and was wearing a black shirt—we almost didn’t recognise him.”
Video footage captured by Hau showed Sanh floating alone as crew members shouted his name and threw him a life preserver. Hau explained that Sanh had removed his life jacket earlier in an attempt to signal another passing vessel, but it was swept away by the waves.
Sanh was conscious but severely disoriented after spending nearly two days adrift, asking rescuers why they had come looking for him when he was “just taking a swim.”
Final Rescue and Relief
The third man, Cuong—the one who initially jumped into the water—was rescued shortly afterward by another vessel closer to Ly Son Island, according to state media.
All three survivors were hospitalised by Monday, though officials have not disclosed their exact conditions.
Speaking to AFP, Tran Thi Lau, the wife of survivor Quang, said her husband’s condition was improving. “Quang’s health is gradually stabilising… everyone across Vietnam is overjoyed,” she said. “The happiness was overwhelming. He isn’t fully recovered yet, so we don’t know when he’ll be discharged.”
The extraordinary rescue has gripped the country, offering a rare moment of relief amid the destructive aftermath of Typhoon Kalmaegi.
About the Author
