Tormented by the inability to save more people.
We made our way to Truong Long village, Tan Gianh commune, Quang Tri province. Following the concrete road that ran across the fields, we stopped to ask for directions to Mr. Cao Huu Tinh's house. A local resident enthusiastically guided us: "Cross Long Chau bridge, go straight to the riverbank, then turn left 100 meters and you'll reach Mr. Tinh's house, the one who rescued the drowning person."
Mr. Cao Huu Tinh's (48 years old) house is located right next to a dirt road, facing a small stream, with a dense, towering row of bamboo trees lining the banks. In recent days, his small house has been bustling with visitors coming to chat. Not only neighbors, but also many people from other localities inside and outside the province have come to encourage and spread the word about the courageous and chivalrous actions of him and his son.
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Mr. Cao Huu Tinh and his nephew Cao Hoang An Duc were on the boat that saved three victims on the third day of Tet (Lunar New Year) in 2026. |
"It was an unforgettable day," Mr. Tinh began his story in a somber tone.
At approximately 11:30 AM on the third day of the Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse 2026), while sailing on the Gianh River, near Lac Son station, in Tuyen Binh commune, Mr. Tinh's boat stalled and stopped. While trying to remove plastic bags and debris caught in the propeller, Mr. Tinh spotted many outstretched arms and cries for help in the middle of the Gianh River. Without hesitation, he restarted the engine, accelerated, and quickly approached the victims in distress.
But a quick approach to the scene wasn't enough. With decades of experience as a fisherman, Mr. Tinh instructed his son, Cao Hoang An Duc, to go forward, kneel down, press his knees against the side of the boat, and concentrate on quickly identifying the drowning person. If he missed, the strong current would push the victim further away and they might be lost. The first victim brought onto the boat was NAN (born in 2023), but by then, the child's body was already turning blue. Immediately, Mr. Tinh released the steering wheel to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the child. Seeing his father focused on first aid, Cao Hoang An Duc jumped back into the river, diving in the icy water, and managed to save Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Ha and her two sons, Nguyen Duy Khanh (born in 2014) and Nguyen Tan Phat (born in 2016); he also recovered the body of Ms. CTN (born in 1958) and brought it ashore. NAN was then taken to the emergency room but unfortunately did not survive.
After being brought safely ashore, Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Ha stated that there were seven members of her family on the boat at the time of the accident. Besides the five people rescued (three of whom survived), Mr. NVT (born in 1958) and his grandchild NDC (born in 2012) are still missing. Believing the victims had been swept away by the water, Mr. Tinh contacted local authorities and relatives to request additional forces and resources for the search. After more than a day of intensive rescue efforts, the authorities found the bodies of Mr. NVT and his grandchild NDC not far from where the boat capsized.
Speaking to us, Mr. Cao Huu Tinh said that it was raining and cold that day. He and his son were supposed to go to his sister's house to wish her a Happy New Year by taxi or motorbike, but for some reason, at the last minute, he changed his mind and went by boat instead. "Even though we saved three people, for many days afterward, my son and I were still tormented and couldn't sleep. If we had gone there a few minutes earlier, perhaps Ms. Ha's family wouldn't have had to endure such tragedy during the Tet holiday," Mr. Tinh confided.
The kindness remains.
Currently, Cao Huu Tinh and his wife and four children are living with their paternal grandparents in a dilapidated, crumbling single-story house. The house only contains a set of bamboo tables and chairs, a few beds... Their most valuable asset is a small boat – their means of livelihood.
Mr. Tinh is currently battling cancer and requires monthly hospital visits for check-ups and treatment. His wife, Ms. Hoang Thi Thom (born in 1989), is frequently ill and unable to work; their youngest son, Cao Thanh Tam (5 years old), suffers from congenital heart disease. Every day, Mr. Cao Huu Tinh sails his boat along the Gianh River, casting nets and catching shrimp and fish to support his family and provide for his children's education. "Fishing is an unstable profession, dependent on the sun, rain, and tides. Fish and shrimp are increasingly scarce; some lucky days I earn a few hundred thousand dong, other days my income isn't even enough to cover fuel costs. It's hard work, but there's no other way than to rely on the river for a living," Mr. Tinh shared.
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Leaders of Tan Gianh commune People's Committee, Quang Tri province, presented certificates of commendation to Mr. Cao Huu Tinh and his nephew Cao Hoang An Duc. |
On the 7th day of the Lunar New Year of the Horse, after completing the funeral arrangements for his parents and children, Mr. Nguyen Van Luong (husband of Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Ha) and his two sons, who were rescued by Mr. Tinh and his son, met with Mr. Tinh and presented him with 50 million VND (from donations from benefactors supporting the family after the boat capsizing) to help alleviate the family's difficulties. Mr. Luong shared: "If it weren't for Mr. Tinh and his son, the tragedy that befell my family would have been many times worse. Today, I and my children are here, first of all to express our deepest gratitude, and also to let the children consider Mr. Tinh as their foster father. From now on, the two families will be closer and more connected, and we will have many opportunities to repay and show our gratitude to the benefactor who helped my wife and children be born again."
On the same day, Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh (born in 1984), head of the Dung Nguyen Quan volunteer group in Nghi Loc commune, Nghe An province, traveled over 200km to Truong Long village to donate 275 million VND to support the family of Mr. Cao Huu Tinh. Mr. Thanh shared that after learning about the boat capsizing incident on the Gianh River on the third day of Tet (Lunar New Year), he and a member of his volunteer group went to the scene and joined forces with local residents to search for the missing victims. After completing the work, through accounts from local people, he learned more about the particularly difficult circumstances of Mr. Cao Huu Tinh's family. Upon returning to Nghe An, Mr. Thanh decided to connect with and appeal to philanthropists both domestically and internationally to donate and support Mr. Tinh's family in overcoming difficulties and stabilizing their lives, starting with repairing and upgrading their current home.
It is known that, in addition to saving three people in the boat capsizing incident on the third day of Tet (Lunar New Year), Mr. Cao Huu Tinh and his children have rescued six people from drowning on the Gianh River; in total, they rescued 14 people, six of whom survived. Mr. Cao Huu Tinh said that having been involved in fishing since childhood, decades of sailing on the river have not only helped him understand the tides and anticipate schools of fish and shrimp, but also accumulated a lot of experience and skills in rescuing people from drowning. He passed on and taught these experiences and skills to his children, so that they always know how to respond and handle situations when they arise. He confided that the fishing profession is increasingly deserted due to its dependence on weather and low income. He also always encourages his children to strive and study hard, as that is the way to escape poverty sustainably. However, what if one day there are no more fishermen on the river, and if boats capsize, who will be the first to spot it and seize the crucial moment to rescue the victims? Therefore, I always teach my children river safety skills so that later, even if they grow up and don't follow in my footsteps as fishermen, they will still know that their ancestors lived by the water, understood the color of the silt, and dared to plunge into the raging currents to save people. From this, they will understand and be ready to face danger out of conscience and responsibility.
To promptly recognize and reward the courageous act of rescuing people from drowning on the Gianh River, on February 23rd, the People's Committee of Tan Gianh commune awarded certificates of commendation to Mr. Cao Huu Tinh and his son, Cao Hoang An Duc. Mr. Tran Thanh Hai, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tan Gianh commune, shared: “Mr. Cao Huu Tinh and his children have bravely rescued people from drowning many times. This is a noble deed, demonstrating a sense of responsibility, humanitarian values, and a tradition of solidarity and mutual support, which is highly commendable and should be widely disseminated in the community.”
Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/cuoc-thi-nhung-tam-guong-binh-di-ma-cao-quy-lan-thu-17/nguoi-hung-tren-song-gianh-1027449
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