Mystery Deepens Around MSC Boxship After Vietnam Medical Evacuation
The circumstances surrounding the MSC Hermes III remain unclear after Vietnamese maritime authorities carried out an emergency medical evacuation from the containership, days after all 25 crew members had abandoned the vessel following a distress alert.
The latest incident occurred on September 28-29, when Vietnamese authorities responded to an urgent request for assistance involving a crew member who had become seriously ill aboard the Liberia-flagged vessel.
According to the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (VMSRCC), the crew member developed abnormal symptoms, including vomiting, before losing consciousness. His condition was considered serious and potentially life-threatening.
Emergency Rescue off Vung Tau
At the time of the request, the MSC Hermes III was heading toward the waters off Vung Tau in Ho Chi Minh City for repair and maintenance work.
VMSRCC dispatched its SAR 272 rescue vessel at approximately 9:15 p.m. on September 28, accompanied by two medical personnel from the Ho Chi Minh City Border Guard.
SAR 272 reached the containership at approximately 1:30 a.m. on September 29. The rescue team provided initial medical treatment before transferring the injured or ill crew member to shore, where he was handed over for further hospital treatment.
Vietnamese media reports said the crew member was suspected of having been exposed to toxic gas or chemical fumes, although the precise cause of his condition has not been established publicly.
A Second Incident in Less Than Two Weeks
The medical evacuation comes only days after the MSC Hermes III became the subject of an unusual maritime rescue operation.
On September 22, Singapore's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre received a distress alert from the vessel at about 8:45 a.m. Singapore time. The ship was approximately 300 kilometers east of Vietnam and within Singapore's maritime search and rescue region.
Three nearby vessels responded after Singapore authorities issued an assistance broadcast. The MSC Ruby subsequently recovered all 25 crew members after they abandoned the MSC Hermes III in a lifeboat.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said all 25 crew members were safe and that no injuries had been reported at the time.
Why Did the Crew Abandon Ship?
That question remains central to the mystery.
Singapore's official statement confirmed the abandonment and rescue but did not disclose what caused the original distress situation or why the crew determined that leaving the vessel was necessary.
Subsequent casualty reports have described the vessel as abandoned and drifting, while noting that the cause of the incident had not been confirmed. Some reports have circulated suggestions of a possible fire, but there has been no official confirmation establishing that as the reason for the abandonment.
Vietnamese reporting has also indicated that the vessel subsequently experienced a problem involving its seawater intake system and temporarily lost maneuverability, although the relationship between that reported technical problem and the earlier abandonment has not been officially established.
Vessel Later Moved Toward Vietnam
After the crew were rescued, the MSC Hermes III remained afloat and was reported drifting in the South China Sea. Later reports indicated that the vessel was taken under tow toward Vietnam.
The latest Vietnamese rescue operation shows that the ship was again being operated with personnel aboard when the medical emergency occurred.
That development raises further questions about the vessel's condition and the sequence of events between the September 22 abandonment and its subsequent movement toward Vietnamese waters.
What Is Confirmed So Far
The available official information establishes several points.
The MSC Hermes III, IMO 9350317, is a Liberia-flagged containership. On September 22, its 25 crew members abandoned the vessel and were rescued by the MSC Ruby. Singapore authorities reported no injuries among those rescued.
On September 28, a new emergency was reported aboard the same vessel. A crew member became seriously ill, lost consciousness and required urgent medical evacuation. Vietnamese authorities deployed SAR 272, which brought the crew member ashore for hospital treatment on September 29.
What remains unresolved is the precise cause of the original September 22 distress situation and the circumstances that led the crew to abandon ship.
For now, the two incidents remain separate events in the official record. Further information from the vessel's operator, investigators or maritime authorities could clarify whether there was a connection between the original casualty, the vessel's subsequent technical condition and the latest medical emergency.