Tourists walk on a pier as they arrive at Koh Rong island in Cambodia's Preah Sihanoukon province on Sept 24, 2022.
(TANG CHHIN SOTHY / AFP)
PHNOM PENH – Cambodian rescuers were still searching on Saturday for at least 10 missing Chinese nationals after a boat with more than 40 people on board sank near islands off the coastal town of Sihanoukville, the provincial government said.
At least one body has been found, and there were reports that Vietnamese authorities had rescued nine people, the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration said on its Facebook page.
READ MORE: Boat sinks off Cambodia coast, over 20 Chinese missing
Vietnam's Mot The Gioi newspaper reported nine people had been rescued late on Friday off the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, citing authorities there.
One of the survivors, 27-year-old Sheng Chengui from China's Fujian province, told authorities the boat had been carrying 41 people, including three women, the provincial government said
Chinese Ambassador Wang Wentian and Preah Sihanouk provincial Governor Kuoch Chamroeun on Saturday visited some of the 21 survivors found by Cambodian rescuers, the provincial government said.
Authorities said the boat sank early on Thursday off the town of Sihanoukville, popular with tourists and gamblers.
It was not clear what caused the boat to sink. Authorities have been questioning survivors, who were taken to a nearby island.
The provincial government has given no details about the identity of the Chinese nationals, and it was not clear if any Cambodians were among those rescued or the missing.
Cambodia is popular with tourists and business people from China.
ALSO READ: China, Cambodia to further promote ties
One of the survivors, 27-year-old Sheng Chengui from China's Fujian province, told authorities the boat had been carrying 41 people, including three women, the provincial government said.