A Chinese fishing boat has reportedly attacked and sank a Vietnamese fishing boat on Monday evening.
Vietnamese state-run media organizations reported on the incident, saying the Chinese fishing boat rammed the other vessel before sinking it.
The incident took place in Vietnamese territorial waters in the eastern portion of the South China Sea.
All crew members on board the Vietnamese ship were rescued by other fishing boats, reported Tuoitrenews.vn, a state-run news company.
According to the report, about 40 Chinese vessels surrounded a group of Vietnamese fishing ships about 17 miles south-southwest of where the Chinese Haiyang Shiyou oil rig is located.
“Meanwhile, the area where the Chinese rig is illicit placed remained very tense on Monday, said a Vietnam Coast Guard unit on the scene,” the news agency wrote. “Chinese vessels always attempted to ram or fire their water cannons at Vietnamese ships, so local vessels had to try to avoid being attacked, the unit said.”
The assailed ship’s captain was identified as Nguyen Van Quang. He said he managed to get medical attention from Vietnamese coast guard vessels, reported Vietnam Plus.
Vietnamese state-run media have said that Chinese vessels have rammed and fired water cannons at Vietnamese coast guard and fishing ships in the past.
