Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Information about Vietnamese ships being attacked in the Strait of Hormuz is fake news; the ships remain safe.

NV Sunshine ship - Photo: NVTrans

On the afternoon of October 15, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' regular press conference, spokesperson Pham Thu Hang received a question requesting information regarding the NV Sunshine – the ship that, according to some foreign news agencies, was attacked on October 9.

In response to this issue, a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this information has received considerable attention from many media outlets in recent days.

"On the morning of October 10th, the company that owns the NV Sunshine vessel, Nhat Viet Transport Joint Stock Company (NVTrans), posted an official announcement, affirming that the information about the NV Sunshine being attacked is false and completely untrue."

"The NV Sunshine vessel was not attacked and is still operating safely and normally. The company also maintains regular contact with the vessel to keep track of its actual operational status," a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

According to Ms. Hang, the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran is continuing to coordinate with local authorities to ensure maximum security and safety for Vietnamese ships and boats passing through the area.

Previously, according to the Vietnam Maritime and Inland Waterways Administration, from the evening of October 9th to October 10th, several foreign news agencies, media outlets, and social networks published and shared information that "the NV Sushine ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz and a fire broke out in the engine room."

However, the agency asserted that the information about the ship being attacked and catching fire did not reflect the actual condition of the vessel.

These speculations reportedly stemmed from a statement by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which said that the force had "attacked a large liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker named NV Sunshine, owned by NatWit."

Iran stated that the vessel intended to travel through the Strait of Hormuz via the southern corridor, which it considers "illegal."

Also related to the situation in the Middle East, spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said that so far no Vietnamese citizens have been reported to have been affected by the recent attacks in Saudi Arabia.

Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised Vietnamese citizens in Saudi Arabia to continue complying with the instructions of local authorities, avoiding large gatherings or travel to dangerous areas.

For those planning to travel to Saudi Arabia at this time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises assessing the situation and refraining from travel unless absolutely necessary.

DUY LINH