A boat sank on the afternoon of July 8 off the coast near Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province, leaving 16 missing.
Families of victims have gathered at Phan Thiet Port, waiting in hope for information about their relatives.
According to Pham Hung Tan, of the Binh Thuan Centre for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue, the boat is thought to have gone down in the Nam Ke Ga area, some 27 nautical miles from Phan Thiet City.
The boat was owned by a local man, Bui Van Toan, from Duc Nghia Ward. The accident occurred as the boat was returning from a fishing trip in Truong Sa Islands.
Weather conditions in the area of the sunken vessel are currently bad, causing difficulties for search and rescue teams. Local authorities have sent two rescue ships to the site and called on nearby ships to aid in the efforts.
Families of victims have gathered at Phan Thiet Port, waiting in hope for information about their relatives.