An incident involving suspected gas poisoning on a Panama cargo ship in central Vietnam has led to the death of a Chinese crew member and hospitalization of two others.
According to the Border Guard Command of Thanh Hoa Province, the crew members of VIGOR SW were hospitalized on Sunday morning after an accident occurred while unloading goods at Nghi Son International Port.
Three Chinese men – Zhuang Lijn (52), Li Wen Liang (33), and Kong Deshan (23) – were found unconscious by the ship’s captain and rushed to a local hospital.
Sadly, Zhuang Lijn died from the incident, while one of the other crew members is in a deep coma and the third suffered broken ribs.
Doctor Duong Tat Linh, director of Hop Luc International General Hospital where the crew members are being treated, suspects that the men may have been poisoned by hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a toxic gas for humans and animals.
H2S is typically produced from the microbial breakdown of organic matter in environments with a lack of oxygen, such as in swamps, sewers, or a ship’s cargo compartment.
Authorities are currently investigating the incident in coordination with relevant agencies, local media reported.