The story of Mr. Thuan saving people

Breathtaking journey amidst rough waves

At about 5am on September 28, 2025, while exercising at sea, Mr. Thuan discovered a fishing boat stranded about 1.5km from shore. Through the weather forecast, he knew that soon, the waves would rise violently. At this time, many people also flocked to the beach to see the situation. He immediately spoke quickly with the Border Guard Station officers to support 2-3 more people to go to sea to rescue people.

However, without waiting long, he quickly ran back to get his boat which was anchored at Pho Hoi port (south of Cua Viet bridge). On the way, he met Lieutenant Colonel Tran Van Hieu, a police officer of Cua Viet commune, and Thuan said: "Come with me to save people!" Without hesitation, Lieutenant Colonel Hieu nodded in agreement. At the port north of Cua Viet bridge, the two met Vo Van Dung and invited each other to get on the boat.

Three people on a small 60CV boat, facing the rough sea. “At first, everyone was worried. But when we saw the figures struggling on the ship in distress, our fear disappeared, we were determined to save them,” said Mr. Thuan.

Mr. Thuan's boat (right) came to the rescue of a stranded fishing boat - Photo: X.THE

In the roaring rain and wind, the small fishing boat controlled by Mr. Thuan plunged into the middle of the rough sea. The ship was 1.5km from shore, stuck close to the rocky embankment, with waves crashing continuously. Between Mr. Thuan's boat and the ship in distress was a concrete embankment that looked like a scythe, making it easy for the boat to collide. Lieutenant Colonel Hieu used the rescue rope throwing technique: tying a buoy to a rope and throwing it across, connecting the two ships. Mr. Dung jumped down, hugged the buoy and swam towards the ship in distress. Meanwhile, Mr. Thuan tried to keep the boat stable, "guiding" each wave to avoid the rope getting tangled in the propeller.

On the side of the ship in distress, each person jumped into the sea, hugged the buoy, grabbed the rope and swam along the rope between the high waves. Just like that, 7 people were transferred to Thuan's boat one after another, then brought back to shore. The time from when Thuan's boat came to the rescue until the fishermen were brought safely to shore lasted about 1.5 hours. "We knew it was dangerous, but seeing the fishermen struggling in the rough waves, we couldn't turn our backs. In this situation, the only way left was determination and calmness to coordinate," said Lieutenant Colonel Hieu.

“After bringing 7 people to the mainland, we continued to go out to sea to rescue the second group, 3 people were still stuck on another boat. However, when we went a distance, I saw the second boat sinking and disappearing in the middle of the sea. There was a person standing on a lamppost not far away. The waves were getting bigger, the wind was getting stronger, the small vehicle was not able to approach so we were forced to return to the mainland,” Mr. Thuan added.

Mr. Thuan on a small boat saved many people in distress at sea - Photo: T. Tuyen

Spread the wave of love

Up to now, Mr. Thuan has been involved in the fishing industry for nearly 30 years. During his years at sea, he has rescued people in distress 5 times, bringing 12 people to shore safely. “Whenever I see someone in distress, I save them. Many people say I am foolish, even crazy. But I think if I were in that situation, I would definitely hope someone would come to my rescue,” Mr. Thuan confided.

Ms. Tran Thi Huyen, Mr. Thuan's wife, shared: "He went to save people without warning. At home, I was very worried. But when I heard the news that 7 people were saved, I cried tears of joy. Whenever he saw someone in trouble, he immediately went to save them, never hesitating."

Chairman of the People's Committee of Cua Viet Commune, Le Van Thong, affirmed: "The act of saving people by Mr. Thuan and his teammates is a shining example of the spirit of compassion and responsibility to the community. In times of danger, they put the lives of others above their own. Mr. Thuan's wife works as a scrap collector and has a serious illness. His family has been listed as a poor household for the past 4 years. With an unstable income, he and his wife have to raise 4 children to go to school. However, he has never calculated the pros and cons."

Although life is still full of hardships, Mr. Thuan is always willing to save people in trouble - Photo: T. Tuyen

Immediately after the incident, the local government commended and rewarded Mr. Thuan, Mr. Dung and Lieutenant Colonel Tran Van Hieu. The commune police also adopted Mr. Thuan's youngest son and provided him with financial support. At the same time, the local government completed the documents to request superiors to consider rewarding him. But for Mr. Thuan, the greatest reward is the lives saved from the hands of death.

Every time he goes to sea, Mr. Thuan still wishes for a bigger boat, a stronger engine to be able to save more people. It is not a dream for himself, but an aspiration to help other fishermen go out to sea.

In the midst of a fierce storm, some people choose to stand by and watch, some choose to step back, but there are also those who do not hesitate to throw themselves into danger to save others. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thuan is one of them, a poor fisherman, a husband, a father with many worries about food and clothing, but his heart is always open.

In Cua Viet beach, white-capped waves still hit the shore every day. And, one thing is for sure, the wave of love from people like Mr. Thuan will continue to spread forever.

Tran Tuyen

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/202510/chuyen-anh-thuan-cuu-nguoi-ea45074/