(VOVworld) - Located about 350 nautical miles from the mainland, the DK1 platforms are also known as the Cluster of Economics, Science and Services in Ba Ria- Vung Tau province. Built in 1989, they have a dual purpose: oil exploration and defense of national maritime sovereignty.
Photo: Thanh Vu |
Numbered from DK1-2 to DK1-19, each platform consists of three levels. Each level covers between 100 and 240 square meters firmly, supported by 4 iron pillars anchored at the bottom of the sea. The first level is 20 m above sea level and is used to store fuel and fresh water. The second level serves as a working and living area and the upper level is for miscellaneous work and collecting rain water to pump to the tanks below. The platform is the most dangerous place in the Truong Sa archipelago and a place everyone wants to visit to witness the lives of the soldiers there.
The platform impresses visitors with its tidiness and cleanliness. Each level contains gardens growing various kinds of vegetables. Livestock is also raised on the platform. Welcoming us, lieutenant Tran Quoc Thanh, who is stationed on platform DK1-8 explains that the soldiers’ tasks are to monitor the comings and goings of boats, be ready for combat when necessary and to assist fishermen in the national territorial waters. Thanh said:"Our life becomes more difficult during the last three months of the year, when the sea is very rough. We need to paint the platform every week to prevent rust. Strong waves shake the platform but we are used to it. But what is unfortunate is that the platform is inaccessible on days when the sea is too rough. Sometimes, because of the violent waves, visitors from the mainland are unable to dock and sometimes, singers, who have accompanied the visitors, have had to sing from a distance through a walkie -talkie. We were very moved then".
Living in the middle of the sea, the soldiers always try to make their lives as normal as those on the mainland. After work, they go fishing for fun and to improve their meals. Lieutenant Vu Ngoc Manh of the DK1-8 Platform says sometimes they catch fish weighing tens of kilograms: "Fishing is sometimes difficult because it requires patience and carefulness. There are a lot of species of fish and they are very different, so one needs experience to catch them”.
Photo: Viet Van |
Thanks to assistance from the state and people on the mainland, soldiers can use solar or wind power to watch TV or listen to the radio. Thanh says despite many difficulties, the soldiers are always ready to protect the platforms, a symbol of national maritime sovereignty: "Together we have overcome all obstacles to defend our platform, and fulfill the tasks that the Party, the state, the army and the people have entrusted to us. It is our duty but also our joy”.
More than anyone, the soldiers are aware of their responsibility and their privilege to defend national sovereignty. They have never lacked the courage and perseverance needed to carry out their mission.