VHM_0020

A six-meter, engineless river sampan powered by two oars and a sail. Eight adults and one child departed from Vung Tau, Vietnam on September 3rd, 1984 in this boat. They sailed the open seas and survived treacherous conditions for seven days as ships passed them. On September 10th, 1984, the passengers, along with the boat, were finally taken aboard the Cetra Corona of Le Havre, a French bulk carrier. The refugees disembarked at Nagoya Seaport in Japan, while the boat was taken to France. The boat remained in the Musée Maritime et Portuaire in Le Havre for 38 years until it moved to the Vietnamese Heritage Museum in February 2023.