The Spokeswoman made the point in response to reporters’ inquiries about missile attacks on the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier True Confidence in the Gulf of Aden with four Vietnamese sailors onboard among the crew.
The diplomat said that the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs worked with local agencies to conduct protection measures.
She took the occasion to call upon relevant parties to immediately cease the use of force and ensure security, safety, and freedom for international maritime routes in accordance with international law.
Earlier, one Vietnamese was among three people killed in a missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi forces on Wednesday.
The ship's crew of 20 members included 15 Filipinos, four Vietnamese, and one Indian. The other two victims were Filipino and Indian. The crew and passengers were transferred to Djibouti by the Indian Navy.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Egypt and Djibouti managed to reach out to the group of Vietnamese sailors. Their health condition is currently stable. However, they lost all their identification papers during the attack. An embassy official will soon be dispatched to Djibouti to assist the sailors with necessary procedures and to conduct identity verification for passport renewal. The embassy also worked with the Philippine Embassy in Egypt and Djibouti to provide logistical support and implement citizen protection measures.
The three Vietnamese survivors, along with the deceased sailor's body, will be aided in returning home via air transport through Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates in the coming days./.