China Rescues 47 from Vietnamese Ship Sunk in South China Sea...Continues Search for Missing

The Chinese government announced on July 27, 2026, that it had rescued 47 people from a Vietnamese cargo ship that sank in the South China Sea. A total of 62 crew members were originally on board, and the remaining 15 are still missing.

According to Yonhap News, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during a regular briefing that “On July 25, the South Sea (South China Sea) No. 115 rescue ship discovered and rescued 29 crew members of a distressed Vietnamese cargo vessel in waters near the Nansha Islands (the Chinese term for the Spratly Islands). China immediately dispatched multiple ships and helicopters to continue the rescue operation, and so far, a total of 47 Vietnamese crew members have been successfully rescued.”

According to China Central Television (CCTV), the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other sources, the sunken vessel was the Vietnamese cargo ship ‘Coi Nguyen 18,’ which encountered severe weather and sank within the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on the night of July 24. China received the distress signal and began the rescue operation at around 6:30 p.m. on July 25. Since 15 people remain missing, the Chinese government is continuing its search efforts.

The waters where the sinking occurred are near the Spratly Islands, an area subject to territorial disputes between China, the Philippines, and Vietnam. When asked if the accident had heightened tensions in the dispute, spokesperson Lin refrained from giving a direct answer, instead stating, “China immediately began rescue operations after the Vietnamese vessel was distressed, and Vietnam expressed its gratitude.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.