Singapore MRCC Coordinates Rescue of 25 Crew Members from MSC Hermes III
Cubierto por 6 fuentesPublicado
- Port of SingaporeMRCC Singapore Coordinates Rescue of 25 Crew from MSC HERMES III
- Portal PortuarioMRCC de Singapur coordina rescate de 25 tripulantes del MSC Hermes III
- marinetraffic_maritimenewsMSC Containership Crew Rescued After Distress Call in East of Vietnam
- MARITIME_EXECUTIVEMSC Says Water Ingress CAUSED Precautionary Evacuation of Container Vessel
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- Trade newsMediterranean Shipping Co reveals the cause of mysterious boxship evacuation
- msc_newsroom_pressreleasesMSC Statement on MSC Hermes III
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) of Singapore coordinated the rescue of the 25 crew members of the Liberian-flagged container ship MSC Hermes III after the vessel issued a distress alert on September 22, 2026. The ship was within Singapore's Maritime Search and Rescue Region, about 300 kilometers east of Vietnam. The crew abandoned the vessel in a lifeboat and were rescued by the MSC Ruby, with no injuries reported.
Route and vessel details
The MSC Hermes III, with a length overall of 212 meters, was sailing from Shanghai to Jakarta when the emergency occurred. Following the alert from Singapore's MRCC, three vessels responded to the call for assistance, and coordination continued with Vietnam's MRCC to arrange the safe return of the crew to shore.
Medical evacuation on board
On September 28, with the vessel already under tow toward waters south of Vietnam, Vietnamese authorities reported an urgent medical evacuation: a 30-year-old crew member suffered a serious head injury after a fall, with symptoms of vomiting and loss of consciousness, raising suspicion of possible toxic gas inhalation. The rescue vessel SAR 272 reached the ship and transferred the injured crew member to Ho Chi Minh City for hospital treatment.
Cause confirmed by MSC
On October 2, MSC issued a statement confirming that the MSC Hermes III suffered water ingress in the engine room on September 22, prompting the master to order the precautionary abandonment of the vessel. The crew returned to the ship after an assessment of its condition, and the crew member injured in the head is recovering. With the assistance of tugboats, the vessel berthed at the Port of Vung Tau on September 24 for cargo discharge, investigation of the incident, and corresponding repairs.
Current situation
The MSC Hermes III, built in 2006 with a capacity of 2,490 TEU, operates on a regional service connecting China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. According to the company's tracking system, the vessel was scheduled to depart Vung Tau on October 3 bound for Singapore and then Hong Kong. The vessel's insurance coverage is provided by the UK-based NorthStandard club.
