A Vietnamese-registered cargo ship, the Khoi Nguyen 18, sank near Yongshu Reef in the South China Sea. The vessel encountered distress in the waters near Fiery Cross Reef, one of the world's most important and contested maritime spaces.
All 62 people aboard the cargo ship were Vietnamese nationals.
In a separate incident on Friday, another Vietnamese vessel sank amid rough seas in the area. While 33 fishermen were rescued, three people remain missing.