Body of local fisherman shot dead in Vietnam’s waters brought ashore

The deceased victim, 42-year-old Truong Dinh Bay, and 12 members of the fishing boat captained by Bui Van Cu arrived at a border guard station in the central province of Quang Ngai on Tuesday morning, after the incident on November 26.

After completing the necessary procedures and providing information at the station, the fishermen were escorted to Sa Ky Port and transported to their homes, according to local border guards.

Many people came to the port to welcome the fishermen back, but Bay’s wife, Mai Thi Long, did not make it as she was said to be exhausted by grief for her late husband.

Truong Dinh De, who is the victim’s son and also one of the crew members, collapsed the moment he arrived at the port and is being provided with medical assistance at his home.

Border guards are pictured working with the crew members at a border guard station
in Quang Ngai Province on December 1, 2015. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Bay’s body is being secured at the border guard station until competent authorities in Quang Ngai arrive and carry out an autopsy to identify the cause of his death.

The fishing boat was sailing off Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago when two motorboats carrying eight people approached, Captain Cu said.

After noticing the foreigners, Captain Cu quickly turned on his boat’s engine while Bay, the victim, rushed toward the prow to release the anchor.

Bay was running back to the boat's cabin when he was shot by one of the intruding foreigners, causing him to collapse onto the shooter, Captain Cu added.

“After hearing the gunfire, I charged the shooter and managed to disarm him, leaving several cartridges on the deck. I then threw the gun and pushed him off the boat," the captain recounted.

After the struggle between Captain Cu and one of the attackers, the other foreigners fled the fishing boat before Cu steered his boat out of danger.

He then came back to the scene to pick up the other members of the crew, who had been on a diving mission at the time of the incident, after the foreigners’ boats had left.

The four cartridges that were left on the fishing boat. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The attackers likely belong to a gang of bandits as they were not wearing any military uniform that could indicate their nationality, said Captain Cu.

Local border guards have not been able to identify the weapon which used the cartridges left on the boat, according to initial reports.

Quang Ngai police also arrived at Sa Ky Port and convened an urgent meeting with the border guards to begin an investigation, as ordered by the Ministry of Defense.