Search and rescue operations were underway on Sunday after a Vietnamese cargo vessel carrying 62 crew members sank in the South China Sea, leaving 23 people missing, according to Chinese state media.

The Vietnamese-registered cargo ship Khoi Nguyen 18 encountered trouble near Yongshu Reef, also known as Fiery Cross Reef, in the disputed Spratly Islands on Saturday evening. Rescue teams have so far saved 39 crew members, while efforts continue to locate the remaining 23.

According to AFP, Chinese rescuers detected what was believed to be a distress signal from the vessel shortly before 6:30 p.m. local time on Saturday. Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that the emergency signal prompted an immediate search and rescue response.

The operation involves six Chinese vessels, a rescue helicopter, and one Vietnamese vessel searching the waters around the reef. Authorities in China's Hainan Province said the Khoi Nguyen 18 is a Vietnamese-registered cargo ship measuring just under 70 meters in length.

Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not issued an official statement on the incident as of Sunday morning.

The sinking occurred in one of the world's most contested maritime regions. China claims almost the entire South China Sea despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling that found its sweeping claims have no legal basis. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan also claim parts of the strategic waterway, including the resource-rich Spratly Islands.

The cause of the vessel's sinking was not immediately known, and search efforts remained ongoing.

BOB Post