MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Vietnamese fishermen adrift rescued in Magellan Strait

Two Vietnamese crewmembers found Monday floating adrift in the icy Magellan waters and currently in Punta Arenas hospital are Vietnamese who voluntarily jumped overboard from a Taiwanese vessel according to local Prosecution sources.

In their first statements with a translator (since they spoke no English or Spanish) the two men in their early twenties admitted having jumped from the Taiwan flagged fishing vessel Jui-I-Sing, strapped themselves to two drums hoping to be found and have the chance to begin a new life in Chile.

Apparently the two crewmembers had been at sea with th Jui-I-Sing for over seven months and were exhausted with the harsh working conditions on board. They took their chance when the vessel which had been operating in the South Atlantic crossed to the Pacific en route to Callao, Peru.

Chilean authorities estimate the two Vietnamese spent some eight hours adrift in temperatures between 3 and 8 Celsius, before they were discovered by chance by a Punta Arenas vessel, "Orompello", which was cruising school children through the Magellan strait as part of the local celebrations of "May, the month of the sea". A Chilean Navy patrol rescued them and delivered them in the local hospital.

According to the latest reports both are in good condition after having undergone a hydrating process and are waiting to see what happens with their situation. The Vietnamese can be accused of having entered Chile illegally and thus expelled, but so far the prosecution has pressed no charges.

Once the two crewmembers were safe on land Chilean naval authorities immediately checked for vessels that had crossed the Magellan strait in the last 24 hours and three Taiwanese flagged fishing vessels were registered having taken pilots on board and all heading for Peru: Jui I Hsing, Chin Man and Yuan Fa 16.

The three were ordered back to Punta Arenas for investigation particularly since it was discovered the drums belonged to the Jui-I-Sing. Chilean Navy officers effectively checked the two Vietnamese belonged to the Jui-I-Sing crew and made sure no other crew members were missing. Six hours later the vessels were allowed to leave Punta Arenas heading for Peru.