People wait for rescue forces who is looking for the missing tourist at a beach in Phan Thiet on July 27.
Speaking with the media on Thursday morning, head of Binh Thuan Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue, Nguyen Hung Tan, said that rescue activities were still underway for the missing tourist in Phan Thiet City.
According to the official, the accident occurred at 3.30 pm on July 27 when a group of five young people including four men and a woman went to the beach at Doi Duong Park in Phan Thiet.
"It was raining and there were strong winds and high waves of up to two-four metres at that time, but the group still went swimming," he said. "Three men were then swept away by high waves. Two of them managed to swim in and were taken ashore by other people while the other, Pham Bui Minh Khoi, 17, went missing.
Rescue forces have used speedboats to look for the missing man. Local authorities have also called for support from local fishing boats, but rescue activities have been hampered by bad weather.
"We've issued warnings to local people and visitors of rough seas due to the effect of the Storm Doksuri," Tan added.
Earlier on July 15, a group of seven tourists from HCM CIty were also swept away while swimming at a beach in front of the Victoria Hotel and Resort in Phan Thiet. They were brought to shore by rescue forces and two of them had to be sent to hospital for treatment.
