Car Carrier Rescues 303 People in the South China Sea

Japanese shipping company NYK said a car carrier it operates rescued 303 people from a vessel in distress in the South China Sea.

On November 7, the Japanese-flagged pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) Helios Leader was sailing from Japan's port of Nagoya to the port of Singapore when it received a rescue request from the port authority of Sri Lanka via the port authority of Singapore.

A Myanmar-flagged trawler Lady R3 was in distress about 258 nautical miles off the southeastern part of the Vung Tau cape. The vessel was reportedly attempting to carry Sri Lankan migrants from Myanmar to Canada.

Helios Leader immediately headed to the area in the South China Sea and rescued 264 men, 19 women and 20 children from the trawler at around 19:30 on November 7.

Those rescued were in good health and disembarked at the Vietnamese port of Vung Tau on November 8.

(Photo: Tien Phong / MRCC Vietnam)