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15 Sailors Still Missing After Vietnamese Cargo Ship Sank in South China Sea
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- The Vietnamese cargo ship Khoi Nguyen 18 sank near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea while involved in island-building projects to assert Vietnamese sovereignty against Chinese claims.
- The vessel had 62 sailors on board, with 47 survivors rescued so far; 15 sailors remain missing as joint rescue efforts by China, Vietnam, and the Philippines continue.
- The ship sank between Fiery Cross Reef, controlled by China, and Discovery Great Reef, controlled by Vietnam, highlighting the ongoing territorial disputes in the Spratly Islands.
- Both China and Vietnam have been engaged in land reclamation and military facility construction on reefs and islets in the area to strengthen their territorial claims.
- The Vietnamese official confirmed the ship was part of these sovereignty-asserting projects but spoke anonymously due to lack of authorization to discuss the matter publicly.
