Desperate Search for 17 Sailors After Cargo Ship Sinks Near Disputed Reef
A multinational search operation involving Vietnamese, Philippine, and Chinese rescuers is underway for 17 crew members missing after a cargo ship sank in bad weather near a Chinese-occupied shoal in the disputed South China Sea.
The Vietnamese cargo vessel Khoi Nguyen 18, carrying 62 people, sank late Saturday near Fiery Cross Reef, a Chinese-built island and military outpost in the Spratly Islands. Of those on board, 45 crew members have been rescued, while 17 remain missing.
Vietnam's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang confirmed that the vessel sank while operating in bad weather conditions in the East Sea, as Vietnam refers to the South China Sea. The Philippine Coast Guard deployed a patrol vessel and an aircraft to assist after receiving a request from Vietnam. Chinese rescue ships and helicopters, along with other vessels in the area, joined the operation.
Vietnamese authorities said fishing vessels had also joined the search, and families of those on board had been notified. Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab stated that they are coordinating with Vietnam's coast guard for additional operational information to guide the search and rescue response. The Philippine Coast Guard is using a search planning system to improve chances of locating the missing crew and has issued a navigational warning urging ships in the area to keep watch and assist if safe.
The operation is being conducted under international maritime agreements and bilateral cooperation with Vietnam. Vietnam's Foreign Ministry thanked China for its swift assistance and expressed hope that the search would continue to find the remaining crew members.
The South China Sea is a strategically vital waterway through which about $5 trillion in global trade transits annually, and is believed to contain vast undersea deposits of oil and gas. China has become increasingly assertive in its claims to almost the entire sea, which are contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
