March 8, 2024
CAIRO – One Vietnamese was among three people killed in a missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthi forces on the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier True Confidence in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, as announced by the Vietnamese Embassy in Egypt and the Republic of Djibouti.
According to the embassy, the ship’s crew of 20 members included 15 Filipinos, four Vietnamese, and one Indian.
The other two deceased individuals were Filipino and Indian.
The crew and passengers were transferred to Djibouti by the Indian Navy.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Egypt and Djibouti managed to reach out to the group of Vietnamese sailors. Their health condition is currently stable. However, they lost all their identification papers during the attack, stated the embassy.
An embassy official will soon be dispatched to Djibouti to assist the sailors with necessary procedures and to conduct identity verification for passport renewal.
The embassy has coordinated with the Philippine Embassy in Egypt and Djibouti to provide logistical support and implement citizen protection measures.
It is expected that following the completion of procedures, the three Vietnamese survivors, along with the deceased sailor’s body, will be aided in returning home via air transport through Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates in the coming days.
In response to the attack, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Phạm Thu Hằng, stated on Thursday that the ministry was collaborating with local agencies to work with the company responsible for the crew members to implement necessary protection measures.
“Việt Nam strongly condemns violent and inhumane attacks against innocent civilians and civilian vessels on international maritime routes. We urge relevant parties to immediately cease the use of force and ensure security, safety, and freedom for international maritime routes in accordance with international law,” she emphasized.