HANOI, Vietnam – The number of survivors rescued from a Vietnamese cargo ship that sank in the South China Sea has risen to 48, while an intensive multinational search continues for 14 people who remain missing, Vietnamese authorities said Tuesday.
The cargo vessel Khoi Nguyen 18 sank late Saturday near Fiery Cross Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands after encountering severe weather. The ship was carrying 62 people when it went down, prompting a large-scale rescue operation involving Vietnam, the Philippines, and China.
According to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, three additional survivors were rescued after Monday’s operations, bringing the total number of people saved to 48. All survivors have been transferred to Vietnamese authorities, where they are receiving medical care before returning to the mainland.
Search-and-rescue teams from the three countries continued combing the waters Tuesday despite rough seas, strong winds, and poor weather that have complicated efforts to locate the remaining missing crew members. Vietnamese officials said rescue operations remain a top priority as authorities coordinate with ships and aircraft operating in the area.
The Philippine Coast Guard deployed a patrol vessel and an aircraft after receiving a request for assistance from Vietnam. Chinese rescue ships, helicopters, and nearby civilian vessels also joined the operation, reflecting rare operational cooperation among countries with overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry said the vessel was operating in bad weather in what Vietnam refers to as the East Sea when it encountered distress and eventually sank. Authorities have not yet determined the exact cause of the accident, and an investigation is expected once rescue operations are completed.
The sinking occurred near Fiery Cross Reef, one of several heavily fortified features in the Spratly Islands. The area is claimed in whole or in part by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, making it one of the world’s most strategically sensitive maritime regions. Despite longstanding territorial disputes, the latest rescue effort has brought together emergency responders from multiple claimant states in an effort to save lives.
The Khoi Nguyen 18, a Vietnamese-registered cargo vessel built in 2017, was also reported by authorities to have not been transmitting its position as required under international maritime safety regulations, a factor that may complicate the ongoing investigation into the sinking.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
