South China Sea, China - July 25, 2026 (Courtesy of South China Sea Rescue Bureau - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Screen showing rescue information
2. Rescuer communicating through phone
3. Various of people from distressed Vietnamese vessel on lifeboat; boarding Chinese rescue ship
4. Various of rescued people on Chinese ship, gathering, having meal

Search and rescue operations are continuing for the 18 people who remain missing after a Vietnamese vessel sank in waters near Yongshu Island in the Nansha Islands, South China Sea.

At about 10:23 on Saturday, Nanhai Jiu 115, a rescue ship operated by the Nanhai Rescue Bureau of China's Ministry of Transport, spotted what was believed to be a rocket parachute distress signal of the distressed vessel, Khoi Nguyen 18. A total of 62 people were on board.

The Nanhai Rescue Bureau has dispatched additional vessels and rescue helicopters to assist the search and rescue mission.

At 22:38 on Saturday, Nanhai Jiu 115 spotted a second life raft and delivered seven people from it. On Sunday, under the coordination of the Sansha Maritime Search and Rescue Center, multiple search teams on site rescued another eight people, bringing the number of rescued people to 44, all of them Vietnamese nationals.