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Da Nang woman recounts 8-hour ordeal at sea after being swept away

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Photo courtesy of Tuoi Tre News


Truong Thi Phuong (L), after being rescued, and her father, Truong Van Tuong, at the Son Tra Border Guard Station in Da Nang City, central Vietnam. Photo: Truong Trung / Tuoi Tre

At noon on Sunday, Vessel 629 of Vietnam's Naval Region 3 transferred Truong Thi Phuong, a 24-year-old resident of Thang Binh Commune in Da Nang, to another vessel for transport ashore after she was rescued the previous afternoon.

Key details

Phuong was among six people who had gone to Mui Nghe on the Son Tra Peninsula to take photos on Saturday morning when an unusually powerful wave swept three of them into the sea.

Nguyen Thai then jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue them, bringing the number of people in the sea to four.

Thai was rescued by a fishing boat shortly afterward, while Phuong was found alive by a naval vessel at about 3:30 pm, approximately two nautical miles from Mui Nghe.

Why it matters in Vietnam

Many of Phuong's relatives and friends gathered at the Son Tra Border Guard Pier after learning that she had survived the ordeal.

Vessel 629 of Vietnam’s Naval Region 3 finds Truong Thi Phuong at sea. Photo: Vietnam’s Naval Region 3

Although physically weak when she reached shore, Phuong could still clearly recall the terrifying experience.

"Even now, I still think it was a miracle, from managing to stay afloat for an hour to having a float drift toward me on its own," she said.

None of the four people in the sea knew how to swim, Phuong said.

A member of the group who remained on shore shouted to them to stay calm, relax their bodies, and let themselves float instead of trying to swim toward the rocks.

Phuong and the three others managed to stay together for about 15 minutes before powerful waves separated them.

Alone at sea, Phuong relaxed her body and allowed herself to float.

About an hour later, a makeshift float drifted toward her.

Truong Thi Phuong is transferred from a Naval Region 3 vessel to Da Nang border guards for transport ashore. Photo: Truong Trung / Tuoi Tre

Apparently made by tying two plastic bottles together, it struck Phuong on the head as she was already exhausted and helped her stay afloat for another seven hours.

During that time, she saw rescue vessels and fishing boats pass by several times.

She waved and shouted for help, but the boats were too far away for anyone aboard to hear her.

"So many boats passed by before a navy vessel spotted me and threw me a lifebuoy. I only dared to believe I was still alive when I stepped onto the vessel. At that moment, I felt like I had been born again," she said.

Twenty-year-old Truong Van Dong, who remained on shore, was still shaken by what happened to the group.




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10 August 2026

Wow. What a lucky, lucky woman. Well done to the rescuers!

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