Search for 17 missing crew after Vietnamese cargo ship sinks in South China Sea
A multinational search and rescue operation is underway for 17 missing crew members after a Vietnamese cargo ship sank in the South China Sea. The operation involves cooperation between Vietnam, the Philippines, and China despite ongoing territorial disputes in the region.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the complex geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea, where maritime safety operations often intersect with competing territorial claims.
A multinational search by Vietnamese, Philippine and Chinese rescuers was underway on Sunday for 17 crew members missing after a cargo ship sank in bad weather off a Chinese-occupied shoal in the disputed South China Sea.
The Vietnamese cargo vessel Khoi Nguyen 18, carrying 62 people, sank late Saturday (July 25, 2026) near Fiery Cross Reef, which is a Chinese-built island and a military outpost in the hotly contested Spratly Islands.
Of those on board, 45 crew members have been found and 17 others are still reported missing.
The vessel “sank while operating in bad weather conditions in the East Sea,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said.
The Philippine Coast Guard said it deployed a patrol vessel and an aircraft to help search for the missing crew members after receiving a request from Vietnam. Chinese rescue ships and helicopters, along with other vessels in the area, joined the operation.
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