Vietnam’s Vinalines Queen cargo ship was still missing since it disappeared off the Philippines on Dec. 25, the Vietnam Maritime Rescue Cooperation Center said Wednesday afternoon.
According to the center, Japan’s Coast Guard, at the center’s request, sent a plane to the ship’s last known site. The airplane searched for the ship in four hours, finding only oil streaks but no floating things that are believed to have something to do with the ship.
At the same time, the coast guard force of Taiwan (China) also deployed means to check up in the sea region south of the island, finding nothing.
The Vinalines shipping corporation – the ship owner – said via a statement Wednesday night that oil streaks found near the ship’s last known site were not confirmed coming from the ship because many international ships have been navigating through the area and they might have generated an oil streak.
According to rescue experts, if the ship had sunk, emergency equipment in the ship would have sent SOS signals to satellites and coastal rescue stations would have received the signals.
The Vietnam Maritime Rescue Cooperation Center says it is collaborating with international rescue centers in searching for the Vinalines Queen. Vietnam’s coastal information system is continually sending notices to ships navigating near the site with the hope of finding any sign of the Vinalines Queen.
