As of now, China has successfully rescued 47 Vietnamese crew members, provided medical treatment to the injured, and transferred all those rescued to the Vietnamese side in an orderly manner. Vietnam has expressed its gratitude, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in response to a reporter’s question on July 27.
 

Detailing the rescue, a Sansha official said that the two Vietnamese crew members were located and successfully rescued by China Coast Guard vessel 4303 at 10:38 pm and 23:32 pm on Sunday.

As of 09:33 am on Monday, the Chinese side has transferred four distressed personnel to Vietnam, with a cumulative total of 45 personnel handed over. The two Vietnamese sailors rescued on Sunday night will be transferred at a subsequent time.

The search and rescue operation will continue on Monday and a new operation plan is being formulated, per the official.

According to the rescued individuals, the distressed vessel was the Vietnamese-flagged ship KHOI NGUYEN 18. The vessel sank after encountering distress on Friday night in waters near Yongshu Reef in the Nansha Islands.

Vietnam on Sunday thanked Chinese authorities for their prompt support in search and rescue operations, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Pham Thu Hang, spokesperson for the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Vietnamese authorities launched rescue operations immediately after the incident and coordinated closely with Chinese rescue forces and vessels operating near the scene.

She expressed hope that both sides would continue to coordinate closely in the search for those still missing, according to Xinhua.

According to the Global Times, Sansha maritime search and rescue authorities said that 41 people rescued from the Vietnamese vessel KHOI NGUYEN 18 had been safely handed over to Vietnamese ships as of 8:05 pm Sunday, while the remaining survivors were expected to be transferred on Monday.