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The Remaining Clothing of Two Deceased Boat People: Nguyễn Tuấn Anh and Nguyễn Thị Thủy Tiên

On November 16, 1981, seventy-five Vietnamese people set out to sea on a fragile boat. Among them were young men and women, as well as young children whose families had painfully let them go in the hope that they would reach freedom and have a brighter future. Among them were Nguyễn Tuấn Anh and Nguyễn Thị Thủy Tiên, the children of Mr. Nguyễn Tiến Hóa and Mrs. Nguyễn Hoàn Đức.

On the 19th day, amid storms, the group spotted what they believed was the coast of Malaysia—a structure that appeared to be an oil rig. They steered toward it, but suddenly, gunfire erupted. Their boat had sailed straight into a pirate ambush. Pirates boarded and forced all of the refugees onto their vessel. The men were tied together with their hands bound behind their backs, while the terrified children remained silent. The pirates, like starving beasts, assaulted the women—stripping them and committing mass rape in full view of the men and children. This horrific scene lasted for three hours. Afterwards, the refugees were thrown back onto their original boat, which had been severely damaged and stripped of its engine. The pirates cut the rope and let the boat drift.

After a night of grief and despair, the next morning brought another pirate encounter. But this time, the men—driven by rage and desperation—vowed to resist. As the pirates approached, a fierce battle broke out. In the end, fifteen pirates were killed. Eventually, all the women and children were rescued and transferred to a Thai ship, with no pirates left on board.

The Thai ship continued the journey with 73 refugees on board. But soon after, another pirate boat attacked—firing bullets and ramming the vessel. Screams of terror filled the air, and blood turned the sea red. In the end, only two survivors were rescued: Mr. Nguyễn Tiến Hóa and another individual who now lives in Canada.

Among those who perished were two young angels, Nguyễn Tuấn Anh (age 5) and Nguyễn Thị Thủy Tiên (age 3), who passed away along with their mother. The clothing and remnants left behind by the two children were recovered by their surviving father, Mr. Nguyễn Tiến Hóa, from the boat and donated to the Vietnamese Heritage Museum (VHM).

— Châu Thụy
(Written based on the account of Mr. Nguyễn Tiến Hóa)

April 22, 2025

These belongings were carried with me during my escape by boat. When I was alone after fighting off pirates and falling into the sea, I drifted for 18 hours and thought I would die! But God saved me, and the shattered boat floated back, allowing me to survive adrift at sea for 21 days with no food, drinking only rainwater. I was shot at, stabbed, slashed until my body was torn, and thrown into the sea, but I was not eaten by sharks. Afterwards, I used pieces of clothing to make a sail and steered the small boat, PB 431, alone to Malaysia. This story is still recorded in my United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) case file.

— Bác Nguyễn Tiến Hóa