Rescue operations are underway following the sinking of the Vietnamese cargo ship Khoi Nguyen 18 in the South China Sea. The incident occurred near Yongshu Reef, also known as Fiery Cross Reef, according to Chinese state media.

The vessel, which carried 62 crew members, encountered difficulties leading to the disaster. So far, 39 individuals have been rescued, while 23 remain missing.

Search and Rescue Efforts

  • The distress signal was first detected shortly before 6:30 pm on Saturday (1030 GMT) by a Chinese rescue vessel.
  • Search operations involve six Chinese ships, a rescue helicopter, and one Vietnamese vessel.
  • The Vietnamese-registered ship is approximately 70 metres in length, according to authorities from China's Hainan province.

Context of the Incident

The South China Sea is a contested maritime region with overlapping claims from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan. China claims nearly the entire sea, including the Spratly Islands, despite an international ruling rejecting its claims. The area is strategically important and believed to hold substantial oil and gas reserves.

Vietnam's foreign ministry has yet to comment on the incident.