On June 11, the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Run Fu 3 capsized in the Indian Ocean, approximately 500 nautical miles south of the Maldives, after one of its cargo holds began flooding.
Despite the crew’s efforts to save the vessel, the flooding proved uncontrollable, and at 8:15 a.m. local time, the captain ordered an evacuation. All 23 crew members, 21 Vietnamese and two Myanmar nationals, abandoned ship using life rafts.
A nearby South Korean bulk carrier, Maple Harbor, managed by C Transport Maritime and en route from Singapore to Italy, received the distress call around 2:45 a.m. and diverted course. By 5:30 a.m., it had reached the scene and successfully rescued all crew members by 1:20 p.m. The rescued sailors were given food, water, and shelter aboard Maple Harbor.
Owned by South Korea’s Hangang Global Shipping, Maple Harbor is now heading to Port Louis, Mauritius, with the rescued sailors onboard. Disembarkation is being arranged in coordination with the Run Fu 3’s operator. The South Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries praised the quick response and emphasized the importance of maritime solidarity and international cooperation at sea.
