Park Yechan, a South Korean first officer suffering from acute appendicitis while his vessel was passing through the waters off Khanh Hoa, was successfully rescued and transported to shore for medical treatment.

In the early hours of February 13, the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (SAR) stationed in Khanh Hoa deployed the SAR-273 rescue vessel to bring Park Yechan, 24, to shore and transfer him to a hospital for urgent care.

Park Yechan was serving as the first officer aboard the Sao Unison, a Panama-flagged vessel en route from Brazil to China.

On February 12, while the ship was approximately 174 nautical miles off the coast of Nha Trang, he developed severe abdominal pain due to acute appendicitis, posing a high risk of peritonitis. His condition quickly deteriorated, prompting an urgent call for assistance.

Upon receiving the distress request from the ship’s captain, the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center in Khanh Hoa immediately dispatched a rescue vessel with a medical team on board to provide emergency aid and transport him to shore for treatment.

Xuan Ngoc