Thirty Navy divers are searching for four missing victims in the Phong Chau bridge collapse.

On October 1st, 30 divers from the 126th Special Forces Brigade of the Navy, in coordination with forces from Phu Tho province, deployed to search for victims of the Phong Chau bridge collapse caused by Typhoon No. 3. The deployment of elite divers and state-of-the-art equipment to search for the four missing victims demonstrates the local authorities' strong determination in search and rescue efforts.

Trial launch of a pontoon bridge span following the Phong Chau bridge collapse.

Naval Region 5 Command conducts live-fire exercises at sea.

Early that morning, General Phan Van Giang, Member of the Political Bureau, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, and Minister of National Defense , telephoned Lieutenant Colonel Pham Ngoc Tuan Anh, Deputy Commander of Brigade 126, to check on the situation and encourage the troops to make every effort and demonstrate high determination in search and rescue operations while ensuring safety in all aspects.

Equipped with specialized gear, divers departed from the location of the newly constructed pontoon bridge in rescue boats and searched the area where the bridge had collapsed. Throughout the search, the navy divers worked closely with other forces present at the scene.

30 thợ lặn của Hải quân nỗ lực tìm kiếm 4 nạn nhân mất tích trong sập cầu Phong Châu

Assign specific tasks to the divers and support staff.

Colonel Nguyen Dinh Cuong, Commander of the Phu Tho Provincial Military Command, said that the area around Phong Chau bridge is very complex with strong currents and great depth. The Provincial Military Command directly advised the provincial leadership to request support from the Ministry of National Defense in terms of personnel and equipment.

Accordingly, elite frogmen from the military have been deployed to participate in the search since September 30th.

The divers stepped out of the boat and into the water.

The 126th Special Forces Brigade selected highly skilled divers with extensive experience in search and rescue operations in river and sea environments to participate in this mission. Before diving, the unit's medical personnel checked their blood pressure, cardiovascular health, and mental state to ensure they were fit for the mission.

Currently, search teams are continuing to search the entire area beneath the riverbed and along both banks, from the collapsed Phong Chau bridge abutment to the pontoon bridge.

The divers drop buoys, marking their diving positions in a grid pattern. The markers are spaced approximately 100 meters apart to avoid missing any targets. Diver safety is always a top priority. Communication is maintained seamlessly between the shore commander, the boat commander, and the divers underwater.

Lieutenant Colonel Pham Ngoc Tuan Anh, Deputy Brigade Commander, shared that divers will search the entire area from the foot of Phong Chau Bridge downstream to the new pontoon bridge of the Engineering Command. The divers will organize the search area by area, marking the search distances at each location with squares. After completing each location, they will report the results daily and provide further advice to the Provincial People's Committee and the Provincial Military Command on appropriate measures.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Pham Ngoc Tuan Anh, in addition to conducting searches according to the Brigade's plan, if the families of the victims have cultural or religious needs, the officers and soldiers of Brigade 126 in the Phong Chau bridge area are ready to search in other locations if safety is ensured.

Motorboats from the Phu Tho Provincial Department of Transport are assisting divers.

In the face of strong currents, limited underwater visibility, and heavy sediment, divers had to employ a combination of specialized techniques and manual skills to locate victims. The commander of Brigade 126 led the operation, with divers taking turns maintaining a continuous underwater presence.

According to Senior Lieutenant Pham Duy Vien, a professional military officer and diving instructor at Brigade 126, the forces in general, and Navy divers in particular, are working with utmost urgency and caution, with the highest determination to fulfill their mission.

Comment (0)