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OtherVietnamese cargo ship sinks near Fiery Cross Reef in South China Sea, 23 missing
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A Vietnamese cargo vessel, the Khoi Nguyen 18, sank in the South China Sea near Yongshu Reef (Fiery Cross Reef) on July 25, 2026, leaving 23 crew members missing and 39 rescued. The ship was carrying 62 people when it encountered trouble. Chinese state media reported that a Chinese rescue vessel detected a distress signal, and six Chinese vessels, a rescue helicopter, and one Vietnamese vessel were involved in search and rescue operations. The ship was registered in Vietnam and measured under 70 meters in length. The incident occurs against the backdrop of competing territorial claims in the South China Sea, with Beijing asserting near-total sovereignty despite an international ruling against its claims. Vietnam, along with other nations, has overlapping claims in the region, including the Spratly Islands.
Source report
Updated - July 26, 2026 02:26 pm IST - Beijing
AFP
Rescuers are searching for 23 missing people after a Vietnamese cargo ship carrying 62 crew members sank in the South China Sea, Chinese state media reported on Sunday (July 26, 2026) morning.
The vessel, Khoi Nguyen 18, encountered trouble near Yongshu Reef — also known as Fiery Cross Reef — state broadcaster CCTV reported, adding that 39 people had been rescued.
According to state news agency Xinhua, a Chinese rescue vessel first spotted what was believed to be a distress signal from the endangered ship shortly before 6:30 pm on Saturday (1030 GMT).
Search and rescue operations in the area involved:
- Six Chinese vessels
- One rescue helicopter
- One Vietnamese vessel
Authorities in the Chinese island province of Hainan confirmed that the Khoi Nguyen 18 is a Vietnamese-registered ship measuring just under 70 metres in length, Xinhua added.
Vietnam's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment.
Beijing claims the South China Sea in nearly its entirety, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. Vietnam, along with the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan, have competing claims to areas of the busy waterway, including the Spratly Islands, which are believed to sit on vast oil and gas resources.
Published - July 26, 2026 11:25 am IST
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At least 23 missing after Vietnamese ship sinks in South China Sea