Wang Yinhai recalled that on that day, they were transporting oysters from Zhuanghe Port. While driving a small wooden boat back to Zhuanghe Port, floating ice floes on the sea crushed their vessel. They could only jump onto the ice floe and drift along with it. "No problem," this typical Dalian dialect phrase was used by Wang Yinhai very calmly as he watched his sinking wooden boat and the sea ice beneath him. He encouraged his son with "no problem" countless times. Both of them draped all the bedding over themselves, and the two never gave up hope for survival.
"My boat was crushed by the sea ice and started to sink. I don't know where I am. Hurry up and find someone to save us!" On February 3, Wang Yinhai's family in Wangjia Town, Zhuanghe City, Dalian, received Wang Yinhai's distress call.
The first mate held a searchlight at the bow of the ship guiding the way, while the sailors stood on the deck using the ship's lights to search. They navigated around marine farming rafts, reefs, and floating ice but did not find the figures of Wang Yinhai and his son.
Yesterday, the reporter contacted Wang Yinhai by phone. At 59 years old, Wang Yinhai has been out at sea for over 20 years, while his 24-year-old son has only been out at sea for one or two years. With a strong Dalian accent, Wang Yinhai told the reporter that he is extremely grateful to the rescuers that night.
"At the time, his son was so cold he couldn't even speak." Recalled Mr. Yin, who participated in the rescue. The actual rescue location had deviated from the normal route by two kilometers. Father and son were "sitting" on the floating ice moving westward. The "Jianmin No.1" safely returned to Wangjia Island Port at 1:00 AM the next morning, and the Wang family was finally reunited.
Wang Yinhai's wife sought help from the local government. Within ten minutes, the rescue vessel was prepared, but another difficulty puzzled everyone: how could they find Wang Yinhai and his son? "All I see is the sea. I don't know where I am. I'm returning from Zhuanghe to Wangjia Island..." After the rescuers connected with Wang Yinhai via phone, they still couldn't determine his exact location.
Fortunately, Wang Yinhai's phone battery was sufficiently charged, allowing the rescuers to maintain constant contact with them and guide their self-rescue efforts. "Put on all your clothes, bring the diesel fuel from the ship with you, light it later to give us navigation."
At 11:40 PM, the searchers spotted a spark-like light on the sea surface, which immediately cheered up the search team. They found Wang Yinhai and his son crouching on the floating ice on the sea surface.
At around 8:00 PM that evening, the "Jianmin No.1" passenger roll-on/roll-off ship operated by Dalian Jianmin Shipping Co., Ltd., which was moored at Wangjia Island Port, learned about the situation without hesitation and set sail immediately to conduct a search and rescue operation in the nearby waters of Wangjia Island and Shicheng Island.
Yesterday, the Liaoning Provincial Department of Transportation announced that due to the influence of strong cold air and the cold wave, the sea areas surrounding the various ports on the island were severely affected by sea ice and floating ice, posing certain risks to the safe navigation of all types of vessels. Fishermen were advised to be cautious when going out to sea, and the actions of the "Jianmin No.1" passenger roll-on/roll-off ship in bravely rescuing people in danger were praised.