Cargo vessel Truong Hung 268 sinks off southern Vietnam

The Vietnamese-flagged cargo vessel Truong Hung 268 sank off southern Vietnam on 13 March 2026 after running aground in rough weather. The 77-metre vessel, carrying about 35,560 tonnes of sand, was sailing from An Giang to Can Tho when it grounded at around 13:30 local time, roughly seven nautical miles southeast of the An Thanh Nam Sandbank.

Vietnam’s maritime rescue coordination centre deployed the SAR 413 rescue vessel and issued an emergency broadcast to nearby ships. Two crew members were initially rescued by the cargo vessel Grand Family 18, while the remaining two were later located and rescued on 14 March with assistance from vessels including Bien Dong 09 and fishing boat BL 91558 TS. Authorities confirmed that all four crew members are safe and were transported to Dinh An Port for medical checks.

Impact

The incident highlights the operational risks posed by severe weather and shallow coastal navigation in regional bulk trades. Grounding and vessel loss in near-shore cargo routes can disrupt domestic bulk material supply chains, particularly sand transport used in Vietnam’s construction sector.