Defence ministry thanks China for help in search for CASA-212

Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh came to the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi on July 6 to thank China for assisting Vietnam in search and rescue work after the incident involving a CASA-212 aircraft.

Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh

On behalf of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, the Vietnam People’s Army and families of the deceased in the aircraft accident, the Deputy Defence Minister expressed his thanks to China’s Party, State and authorised agencies, along with Chinese Ambassador Hong Xiaoyong, for their co-operation and help in the search for CASA-212 and its crewmembers.

He said he hopes that over the time ahead, the Vietnamese and Chinese defence ministries will continue expanding search and rescue co-operation on the basis of international law, thus reinforcing overall relations between the two Parties, States and armies.

For his part, Ambassador Hong Xiaoyong offered condolences to the bereaved families and spoke highly of Vietnam’s search and rescue efforts.

He said immediately after receiving information of the accident the Chinese Embassy reported it to the country’s Party and State leaders, after which the two sides worked together to devise search and rescue co-operation measures.

He promised to convey the Vietnamese Defence Ministry’s acknowledgement to leaders of China’s Party, State and relevant agencies as soon as possible.

Aircraft CASA-212, coded 8983, of Air Force Brigade 918 lost communication at 12:30 pm near Bach Long Vi Island in the Tonkin Gulf on June 16 while searching for the missing pilot of jet fighter SU 30MK2, which was involved in an accident during a training session early in the morning of June 14.

The wreckage of CASA-212 was discovered 5 nautical miles south-southeast of Bach Long Vi Island near the northern city of Hai Phong.

The bodies of eight out of the nine crewmembers of the CASA-212 have been retrieved. Efforts are still being made in search of the remaining missing crewmember.

(Source: NDO)