46 seamen rescued from sunken Vietnamese boat in South China Sea

Chinese State media reported that as of 9pm on Sunday, a total of 46 crew members have been rescued from a Vietnamese vessel that sank near Yongshu Reef of the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, including one person rescued by the Vietnamese side.

Citing authorities in the southern city of Sansha in Hainan Province, Xinhua News Agency reported 41 rescued individuals were transferred in groups via life rafts from Chinese rescue vessel Nanhai Jiu 115 to a Vietnamese naval ship at 8:05pm.

The remaining four rescued personnel are expected to be handed over Monday.

A rescue ship operated by Nanhai Rescue Bureau of the Ministry of Transport on Saturday spotted what was believed to be a rocket parachute distress signal from the ship that had 62 people on board.

Search and rescue efforts are still underway at the scene.