A cargo ship that sank in the South China Sea has yielded 48 survivors as of Tuesday, with 14 crew members still missing and search operations continuing across the disputed waterway.
The Vietnamese-flagged general cargo ship Khoi Nguyen 18, carrying 62 people, sank Saturday evening near Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands after encountering severe weather. Authorities initially reported 45 rescues by Sunday, and by Monday afternoon the number of survivors rescued had increased to 48. The vessel went down while operating in bad weather conditions in the East Sea, according to Vietnamese officials.
A Chinese rescue vessel, the Nanhai Jiu 115, first detected distress signals from the stricken ship on Saturday evening. The initial rescue effort proved successful when the Chinese vessel discovered a life raft containing 29 survivors approximately 38 nautical miles north of Fiery Cross Reef. Additional survivors were subsequently pulled from the water by other coast guard vessels, fishing boats in the area, and a rescue helicopter dispatched to the scene.
The multinational search and rescue operation involved significant coordination between multiple nations. China deployed six rescue vessels and a helicopter to assist in the operation, while Vietnam mobilized its own rescue forces. The Philippine Coast Guard, responding to a request from Vietnam, sent a patrol vessel and aircraft to help locate the missing crew members. Both countries established a joint search and rescue command system to coordinate the efforts, with the Chinese rescue vessel Nanhai Jiu 115 serving as the on-site commander.
By Tuesday afternoon, the search for 14 remaining missing crew members was still underway. Vietnamese authorities have since taken custody of all 48 rescued survivors, providing medical care and arranging their transport back to the mainland. The rescued individuals have reportedly been in stable condition following their ordeal at sea.
The Khoi Nguyen 18 is a relatively small general cargo vessel, measuring approximately 70 meters in length with a gross tonnage of 999 metric tons. The reported crew size of 62 people has drawn some attention, as this number exceeds what would typically be expected for a coastal cargo ship of this size. Neither Vietnamese nor Chinese authorities have fully explained the composition of those aboard or the vessel’s cargo and destination.
The incident occurred near Fiery Cross Reef, known as Yongshu Reef in Chinese terminology, a major point of geopolitical tension in the South China Sea. The reef lies within the disputed Spratly Islands, where China has constructed an artificial island featuring a runway, port facilities, and military infrastructure. China claims sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea, though a 2016 international arbitration ruling determined that its claims lacked legal basis. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan all maintain competing claims to portions of the strategically important waterway, which is critical to global maritime commerce.
The South China Sea carries more than a quarter of global maritime trade and is believed to contain significant oil and natural gas reserves beneath its waters. Maritime incidents in the region often draw international attention both for the humanitarian concerns involved and for the geopolitical sensitivities surrounding the disputed territories.
Vietnamese authorities expressed gratitude to Chinese rescue forces for their swift support in the operation. Both countries said they would continue coordinating efforts to locate those still missing from the Khoi Nguyen 18, with search operations expected to continue despite challenging sea conditions marked by high waves, strong winds, and rough seas that have hampered recovery efforts.