[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Hong Bo 9, a Nantong cargo ship, rescued eight people who had fallen into the water in 38 minutes in the waters of Guatemala, Central America, on Feb 21 local time.

At 16:46 that day, while en route to Guatemala for cargo loading after completing unloading operations in Honduras, the ship spotted a high-speed boat 2.5 nautical miles ahead on the port side.

Six minutes later, the boat caught fire and capsized due to a mechanical failure, leaving multiple people in the water, some of whom sustained burns.

Captain Liu Chaoxun of Hong Bo 9, with 20 years of sailing experience, immediately sounded the alarm and activated the emergency response plan.

Overcoming challenges such as ocean currents and the difficulty of maneuvering the ship's right-handed propeller, Captain Liu ordered the vessel to proceed at full speed to the incident area at 16:54. He also contacted the port control center to request shore-based support.

At 17:03, the cargo ship arrived at the scene. The crew positioned the distressed individuals on the leeward side to create a safe rescue environment and promptly initiated rescue operations, including deploying lifeboats, throwing lifebuoys, and lowering the gangway.

For Li Chuchen, the 24-year-old third officer, this marked his third year at sea and his first encounter with a life-or-death rescue mission.

Despite the high stakes, he remained composed and decisively carried out instructions. Recalling the situation, he said with emotion, "There was no time to think — every second counted! As soon as the captain gave the order, everyone jumped into action without hesitation."

Through the crew's coordinated efforts, five individuals were quickly rescued by the lifeboat, two were saved using a life raft and the gangway, and the final critically injured person was brought aboard with the crew's combined efforts.

By 17:30, all eight distressed individuals were safely on board.

The individuals were all residents of Guatemala. They had been on a leisure trip when their boat caught fire and capsized.

The crew provided them with food, water, and a place to rest, while also offering psychological support. They also contacted port authorities to report the injuries and assisted medical personnel in transferring the injured for further treatment.

The rescue operation received high praise from both domestic and international parties. Guatemalan port authorities promptly contacted Hong Bo 9, commending the Chinese crew for adhering to maritime rescue conventions and demonstrating exceptional professionalism and a strong sense of responsibility.

The Guatemalan National Maritime Authority awards commendations to Captain Liu Chaoxun and all crew members of Hong Bo 9. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

This successful rescue highlighted the competence of Hong Bo 9 crew and reflected Nantong's long-standing efforts to cultivate maritime talent and build a skilled workforce.

The 21 crew members aboard Hong Bo 9 are all managed by Nantong Sihai Ship Management Co. As one of China's first ship management companies with Class A qualifications, Sihai Ship Management maintains a rigorous emergency training system.

For this voyage, the crew had been away from home for over three months, even spending Chinese New Year at sea. After the rescue, they sent heartfelt greetings to their homeland from the foreign waters.