All contact has been lost with a fishing vessel operating in the waters off Tri Ton island of Truong Sa archipelago since December 20, according to Binh Dinh province's Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue.

Six fishermen of the ship BD 96665TS captained by Mr Huynh Van Chung of Tam Quan Bac commune, Hoai Nhon district were reported as missing after contact was lost with the fishing vessel near Tri Ton island.

Other fishing vessels and a rescue team have urgently mounted search activities but have not yet found the missing seamen. The search was suspended as they returned to the mainland into order to avoid the powerful storm Tembin.

Phan Xuan Hai, head of Binh Dinh province’s Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, Search and Rescue said the locality has made a report of the incident and requested the support of the National Committee for Search and Rescue in the recovery efforts.

VOV