Three Dead, Three Missing after Cargo Ship Sinks off Vietnam

July 17, 2017

General cargo ship VTB 26, carrying 4,700 tons of coal and 13 crew members on board capsized and sank on Monday, July 17 in Cua Lo anchorage, Gulf of Tonkin, amid relentless waves caused by typhoon Talas.

According to the latest update from Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport, 7 people have been rescued, while three seafarers were found dead and three more are still missing.

The search for the missing crew members is underway.

Ships passing in the vicinity of the incident have been informed to be on the lookout for potential survivors.

The ill-fated freighter was reportedly on its way from Quang Ninh to Cua Lo in the Gulf of Tonkin when it had to anchor amid bad weather. The contact with the ship had been lost shortly after midnight after the ship’s master managed to send out a distress signal.

The Vietnam-flagged cargo ship, with a deadweight of 5,198 tons was built in 2013.