▁were ▁allowed ▁to ▁move ▁on ▁as ▁the ▁dis gu ised ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁‘ f ishing ▁tra w lers ’ ▁were ▁mistaken ly ▁identified ▁as ▁ships ▁from ▁Hong ▁Kong . ▁After ▁the ▁American ▁hel ic op ters ▁fle w ▁away , ▁the ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁continued ▁sail ing ▁towards ▁South west ▁C ay . ▁On ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁April ▁ 1 3 , ▁the ▁three ▁ships ▁were ▁closing ▁in ▁on ▁South west ▁C ay ▁from ▁three ▁different ▁directions . ▁During ▁the ▁early ▁hours ▁of ▁April ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁personnel ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 2 6 th ▁Battalion ▁and ▁the ▁V iet ▁Cong ▁ 4 7 1 st ▁Battalion ▁land ed ▁on ▁South west ▁C ay ▁using ▁rub ber ▁boats . ▁ ▁T aken ▁by ▁complete ▁surprise , ▁the ▁AR V N ▁on ▁South west ▁C ay ▁put ▁up ▁st iff ▁resistance , ▁but ▁they ▁surrender ed ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁after ▁ 3 0 ▁minutes ▁of ▁fighting . ▁The ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁claimed ▁to ▁have ▁killed ▁ 6 ▁AR V N ▁in ▁action , ▁and ▁taken ▁ 3 3 ▁prisoners . ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁attack ▁on ▁South west ▁C ay , ▁the ▁R V N ▁immediately ▁formed ▁a ▁task ▁force ▁which ▁came ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁the ▁fr ig ate ▁R V NS ▁L ý ▁Th ư ờ ng ▁Ki ệ t ▁and ▁the ▁H Q - 4 0 2 ▁transport ▁ship ▁to ▁ret ali ate , ▁but ▁both ▁ships ▁were