Vietnamese state media says a Chinese fishing vessel has rammed and sank a Vietnamese fishing boat in the disputed South China Sea.
The reports today said 10 Vietnamese fishermen had to be rescued from the water but there were no injuries as a result of the incident yesterday.
The reports in the Tuoi Tre newspaper and other media said the incident occurred around 30 kilometer from a large oil rig China deployed in a disputed section of the sea on May 1, intensifying tension between Vietnam and China.
Vietnam had sent patrol ships to confront the rig and China has deployed scores of vessels to protect it. The two sides have been involved in a tense standoff, occasionally colliding with each other.
