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| Vietnamese refugees thank rescuer 40 years on | Vietnamese refugees thank rescuer 40 years on |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A family of Vietnamese refugees who settled in the UK have been reunited with the boat captain who rescued them from the South China Sea 40 years ago. | A family of Vietnamese refugees who settled in the UK have been reunited with the boat captain who rescued them from the South China Sea 40 years ago. |
| Linh Thi Thuy Spearing, her parents and three young brothers were among about 500 people on two fishing boats picked up by the SS Sibonga in May 1979. | |
| Mrs Spearing, who lives in Somerset, said they were "lost at sea for days" and were "blessed" to be rescued. | Mrs Spearing, who lives in Somerset, said they were "lost at sea for days" and were "blessed" to be rescued. |
| They have now met Capt Healey Martin to thank him for saving their lives. | They have now met Capt Healey Martin to thank him for saving their lives. |
| Mrs Spearing was seven when she and her family, originally from Ho Chi Minh City, fled Vietnam following the end of the Vietnam War. | Mrs Spearing was seven when she and her family, originally from Ho Chi Minh City, fled Vietnam following the end of the Vietnam War. |
| The refugee crisis escalated when China invaded the country in 1979, and hundreds of thousands of "boat people" risked their lives to escape the conflict. | The refugee crisis escalated when China invaded the country in 1979, and hundreds of thousands of "boat people" risked their lives to escape the conflict. |
| The family were crammed among hundreds of refugees on a flimsy boat without food or water when they were picked up by Mr Martin's cargo ship. | The family were crammed among hundreds of refugees on a flimsy boat without food or water when they were picked up by Mr Martin's cargo ship. |
| Mrs Spearing's mother, Trinh Le, described it as a "scary, sad and horrible" experience. | Mrs Spearing's mother, Trinh Le, described it as a "scary, sad and horrible" experience. |
| Interviewed by the BBC at the time, Mr Martin said: "I reckon a lot of the children would have been dead within about 48 hours. | Interviewed by the BBC at the time, Mr Martin said: "I reckon a lot of the children would have been dead within about 48 hours. |
| "Some of them when we brought them on board were unconscious and completely exhausted." | "Some of them when we brought them on board were unconscious and completely exhausted." |
| Mr Martin, who is now in his 80s, lives in a care home in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. | Mr Martin, who is now in his 80s, lives in a care home in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. |
| Mrs Spearing and her family, along with other refugees, flew to Northern Ireland on the 40th anniversary of their rescue to visit him and thank him personally. | Mrs Spearing and her family, along with other refugees, flew to Northern Ireland on the 40th anniversary of their rescue to visit him and thank him personally. |
| She said when she met him, Mr Martin was "very composed" and "remembered a lot of details". | She said when she met him, Mr Martin was "very composed" and "remembered a lot of details". |
| "It was lovely and really emotional at the beginning, just to see him amongst all those people," she said. | "It was lovely and really emotional at the beginning, just to see him amongst all those people," she said. |
| "We got to see him as a family and say thank you. I wanted him to see his legacy - that he helped many people to give them all new beginnings." | "We got to see him as a family and say thank you. I wanted him to see his legacy - that he helped many people to give them all new beginnings." |
| Mrs Spearing's brother, Tuan Le, who was just four months old at the time of the rescue, added: "We wanted to pay back what was given to us - the opportunity." | Mrs Spearing's brother, Tuan Le, who was just four months old at the time of the rescue, added: "We wanted to pay back what was given to us - the opportunity." |
| Mr Martin thanked everyone for visiting him and said: "I'm very very glad that you've been very successful and the amazing distances some of you have travelled. | Mr Martin thanked everyone for visiting him and said: "I'm very very glad that you've been very successful and the amazing distances some of you have travelled. |
| "You've all done well, we have doctors, surgeons, accountants, chemists, and I think it's a wonderful display of people." | "You've all done well, we have doctors, surgeons, accountants, chemists, and I think it's a wonderful display of people." |