State President Truong Tan Sang on April 17 sent a message of sympathy to President Park Geun-hye over a ferry disaster off the Republic of Korea’s coast on April 16 which has led to several deaths and left many people missing.

On the day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh called a message of sympathy to Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se.

At the Foreign Ministry’s regular press conference on the day, spokesperson Le Hai Binh extended deep condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the disaster.

Binh said Vietnam has followed the developments with worry after learning the ferry had capsized and held out hope that the RoK Government’s search and rescue teams will soon locate those still missing.

On April 16, the multi-deck vessel, which had 475 people on board, suddenly listed, capsized and then sank within the space of 90 minutes off the RoK’s southwestern coast. Nine people have been confirmed dead and 287, mostly schoolchildren, are still unaccounted for.-VNA