At the fire scene (Source: taiwannews.com.tw)Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei is activelycoordinating with officials from China’s Taiwan to carry out search and rescueactivities and update information on Vietnamese workers trapped in a fire inTaiwan on December 14.
Spokesperson of theMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Le Thi Thu Hang made the statement at aregular press conference in Hanoithe same day in response to reporters’ queries about the accident whichoccurred in Taoyuan city.
Hang said afterreceiving the information, the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipeisent officials to the scene and conducted all necessary citizen protectionmeasures.
“We hope to receivemore detailed information about the names of the victims at the end of thisday”, she added.
According topreliminary statistics from Taiwan’srelevant agencies, as of noon on December 14, two out of the five injuredVietnamese workers were discharged from hospital while six others are stillunaccounted for.
The Vietnamese spokespersonalso answered reporters’ queries about the information that the Philippines hasexhumed a cadaver that was supposed to be the remains of Pham Minh Tuan,captain of ship Royal 16, who was kidnapped in the Philippines on November 11,2016.
The exhumation wasmade at the request from the Vietnamese Embassy in the Philippines, she said.
On December 8, the Philippine authorities conducted the exhumation in Jolo, thecapital of Sulu province, in the Philippines.
The two countries’relevant agencies are implementing DNA testing. If the remains are confirmed tobe Tuan’s, Vietnamese authorities will carry out all necessary procedures tobring his body to home, Hang said.
Royal 16, with 19 crewmembers aboard, was carrying cement from Vietnam’snortheastern province of Quang Ninh to the Philippines when it was attacked bypirates.
The pirates kept sixcrew members, including the captain, as hostages and released the remainders.
Meanwhile, thePhilippines authorities said Royal 16 was attacked by an armed group whilesailing 20km off Basilan island, a bastion of the Abu Sayyaf rebel group.
Two crewmembers,including a wounded person, escaped and were rescued by another boat. The armedgroup ran away together with the hostages.
At the pressconference, the Vietnamese spokesperson informed some external activities ofVietnam in the coming time.-VNA
VNA
