Rescue Efforts Underway for 17 Missing Crew After Vietnamese Cargo Vessel Sinks Near Disputed Reef

HANOI, Vietnam — A multinational search involving Vietnamese, Philippine and Chinese rescuers was underway on Sunday for 17 crew members missing after a cargo vessel sank in adverse weather off a Chinese‑occupied shoal in the disputed South China Sea.

The Vietnamese cargo ship Khoi Nguyen 18, which was transporting 62 people, sank late Saturday near Fiery Cross Reef—a Chinese‑constructed island and military outpost in the heavily contested Spratly Islands.

Of the 62 aboard, 45 crew members have been accounted for, while 17 remain missing.

The vessel sank while operating in poor weather conditions in the East Sea, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang.

The Philippine Coast Guard reported sending a patrol vessel and an aircraft to assist the search after Vietnam’s request, and Chinese rescue ships, helicopters, and other nearby vessels joined the effort.

Vietnamese authorities noted that fishing vessels have also joined the search and that the families of those on board have been informed.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said they are coordinating with Vietnam’s coast guard to obtain additional operational information needed to guide the search and rescue response.

She added that the coast guard is employing a search planning system to increase the likelihood of locating the missing crew and has issued a navigational warning urging vessels transiting the area to keep watch and render assistance when safe.

The Philippine Coast Guard stated that the operation is being carried out under international maritime agreements and bilateral cooperation with Vietnam.

Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry thanked China for its prompt assistance and expressed hope that the search would continue until the remaining crew members are located.

China has grown increasingly assertive in its claims over much of the South China Sea, a vital corridor through which roughly $5 trillion in global trade passes each year. The waters are also thought to overlie substantial underwater oil and gas reserves.

In addition to China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also hold overlapping claims in this strategic waterway.

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