The call of life and death in a sinking ship and the suffocating moment a young man rescued 4 people

"As long as you are breathing, you must try to save people" - the words of Mr. Dinh Duc Hiep (35 years old, Quang Ninh) when he reached the shore moved many people.

In the life-and-death moment on Ha Long Bay on the afternoon of July 19, when the tourist boat suddenly capsized due to strong winds and waves, drowning dozens of passengers, Mr. Hiep continuously dived down not to find a way out for himself, but to save others.

Speaking at the hospital, Hiep said that at around 2pm on July 19, the cruise ship carrying 49 people, including his family of 8, encountered a storm and capsized. "I was still on the ship at that time, my mother was trapped. She told me to find a way to escape, she was about to suffocate," Hiep recalled.

Mr. Dinh Duc Hiep shared with VietNamNet reporter.

In the panic, Hiep tried to stay calm, brought his mother to the surface of the oil tank, then immediately dove down to find the person. In the murky water with the strong smell of gasoline, he groped, pulling each person up one by one. When everyone was temporarily safe, Hiep continued diving down to find an exit.

Every time he surfaced, he signaled the escape route: "Whoever is still breathing, try to go this way, step to the right and you will reach the door. You stand outside and pull them up!"

In the moment of life and death, he saved his mother, a man and two women. He also tried to pull another man up, but due to his severe injuries, he did not survive. Hiep and everyone else tied a rope to hold the body so it would not float away.

One of the people saved by Hiep was Ms. TTH. Tears streaming down her face, she choked up: "I am still alive today thanks to Hiep. But it is painful that my husband and child did not survive. I really don't know what to say other than thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Authorities deployed rescue teams through the night. Photo: Pham Cong

As the wind was still fierce, Hiep tried to turn back to find his girlfriend. "It took me about 10 to 15 minutes to reach her feet. I pulled her up and gave her CPR, but it was too late. She had drunk a lot of water, and there was also gasoline in the cabin, so she suffocated and couldn't be saved," Hiep's voice trailed off.

Dinh Duc Hiep's story moved many people to tears. Between the line of life and death, he did not choose to save himself first. He saved others with his instinct of compassion, with all the love he had for his mother, for strangers, and for his girlfriend, whom he could not keep...

Amidst the storms and uncertainties of the sea, Dinh Duc Hiep's courage is like a life buoy that lights up hope. And amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, his story still shines with humanity, authenticity and humanity, especially in times of danger.

Authorities bring the body of the victim of the capsized boat to shore, early morning of July 20. Photo: Duc Anh

As reported by VietNamNet, at 12:55 on July 19, the Wonder Sea ship (also known as the Green Bay 58) was carrying 46 tourists and 3 crew members on a tour of route 2 on Ha Long Bay (including Sung Sot Cave - Ti Top Island). At 1:30 p.m. the same day, the ship encountered a strong storm and suddenly capsized. At 2:05 p.m., the ship lost its GPS signal connection.

The provincial government has mobilized border guards, navy, coast guard, police and port authorities to participate in the rescue at the scene. At the same time, a rescue command center has also been established to organize the search for victims. To date, at least 35 people have died and many are still missing in connection with the above accident.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tieng-goi-sinh-tu-trong-con-tau-dam-phut-nghet-tho-chang-trai-giai-cuu-4-nguoi-2423689.html