Four students drowned in the ocean off a beach in Khanh Hoa Province on Wednesday.

The seventh graders of Nguyen Hue Secondary High School decided to go swimming at Van Thon Beach after it was announced they would have no class that day. They were swept away by strong currents.

A fisherman saw tried to rescue them, but all four girls died after they were brought ashore. The site of the accident was 7km from the school.

The victims have been identified as Pham Thi Kim Thoa, Nguyen Thi Quyen and Nguyen Ngoc Loan Chau, all 14; and Cao Trang Nhi, 13.

Residents and district officials said swimming was prohibited in the area, as it was considered dangerous. It is not yet known if there were any signs indicating the dangers.

The latest accident follows the death of two female students at Nguyen Du Secondary High School in Cam Ranh. They died while swimming with five others in Ta Ruc Lake in Cam Lam District.

The five students were rescued by two boys of the Rag Lai ethnic minority community, Cao Lam and Bo Ti, who were working nearby, when they saw the girls in trouble.

Also, on April 15, nine students at Nghia Ha Secondary High School in Quang Ngai City drowned in the Tra Khuc River.

VNS