
A Vietnamese cargo ship sank in the South China Sea on Saturday, leaving 23 people missing and 39 rescued, according to Chinese state media. The incident occurred near Fiery Cross Reef, part of the disputed Spratly Islands.
The cargo vessel, identified as the "Khoi Nguyen 18," was carrying 62 Vietnamese nationals when it encountered distress, China's state broadcaster CCTV reported. A distress flare from the vessel was first spotted by a Chinese rescue ship, the Nanhai Jiu 115, on Saturday evening.
Six Chinese vessels, a rescue helicopter, and a Vietnamese vessel joined the search and rescue effort at the site, CCTV added. The Vietnamese-registered vessel is nearly 70 meters long with a gross tonnage of 999 tons.
The area around Fiery Cross Reef is part of the disputed Spratly Islands, which China calls the Nansha Islands. The region is rich in natural resources and is claimed by multiple countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire strategic waterway, including the Spratlys, where it has built runways and militarized artificial islands. However, Beijing’s sweeping claims overlap with those of other countries in the region.
The cause of the ship's distress is not yet known, and the search and rescue operation is ongoing.
Follow us for live European news
5 further sources not geolocated