Archive · 26 Jul 2026
Rescuers Search South China Sea for Missing After Vietnamese Ship Sinks
A big ship called the Khoi Nguyen 18, with 62 people from Vietnam on it, had a problem in the South China Sea near a place called Fiery Cross Reef.
The ship sank, and rescuers from China and Vietnam are looking for 23 people who are missing.
They have already saved 39 people.
The area where this happened is disputed because many countries, including China and Vietnam, claim it as their own.
China says it owns almost all of the South China Sea, but other countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei disagree.
A Vietnamese cargo vessel, Khoi Nguyen 18, sank near Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea.
Rescuers are searching for 23 missing people after the vessel sank.
39 people have been rescued from the waters.
Six Chinese vessels, a rescue helicopter, and a Vietnamese vessel are involved in the search and rescue effort.
The area is part of the disputed Spratly Islands, claimed by multiple countries including China and Vietnam.
- Who
- Rescuers from China and Vietnam
- What
- Search and rescue operation for missing people after a Vietnamese ship sank
- When
- On Sunday, following a distress flare spotted on Saturday evening
- Where
- Near Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea
- Why
- The Vietnamese cargo vessel Khoi Nguyen 18 ran into distress and sank
China's Territorial Claims
Vietnam's Territorial Claims
Sovereignty Over Spratly Islands
China's Territorial Claims
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including the Spratly Islands, where it has built runways and militarized artificial islands.
Vietnam's Territorial Claims
Vietnam, along with the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei, disputes China's claims and asserts its own territorial rights in the region.
- Vessel Name
- Khoi Nguyen 18
- Number of People Aboard
- 62
- Number of Missing
- 23
- Number of Rescued
- 39
- Location of Incident
- Near Fiery Cross Reef, Spratly Islands, South China Sea
- Vessel Length
- 70 meters (230 feet)
- Vessel Gross Tonnage
- 999 tons
- Rescue Vessels Involved
- Six Chinese vessels, one rescue helicopter, one Vietnamese vessel
