17 Missing After Vietnamese Vessel Sinks In South China Sea

HONG KONG, July 26 (Reuters) – Rescuers were searching on Sunday for 17 people still missing after a Vietnamese ship sank in the busy waterway of the South China Sea, while 45 have been pulled from the waters since Saturday night, China’s state broadcaster CCTV said.

Chinese authorities said the cargo vessel Khoi Nguyen 18, with 62 Vietnamese nationals aboard, ran into distress in waters near Fiery Cross Reef, CCTV added.

A distress flare from the vessel was first spotted by a Chinese rescue ship, the Nanhai Jiu 115, on Saturday evening, CCTV said.

The Chinese vessel discovered a life raft