At least 2 sailors dead after cargo ship sinks in disputed South China Sea 

At least two sailors have died and 15 others have been rescued after a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel with 21 Filipinos on board capsized in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, leaving four missing, according to authorities in China and the Philippines.

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense said the Chinese coastguard sent two vessels to assist after the boat capsized in the early hours of Friday, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) northwest of Scarborough Shoal (known in China as Huangyan Dao).

The Philippines coastguard said in a statement on Friday that it sent two vessels and two aircraft to assist in rescue operations for the crew of the cargo ship it identified as the Devon Bay.

The Chinese rescuers pulled at least 17 Filipino sailors – 14 in a stable condition, one who was receiving treatment and the bodies of two who had died – from the water, according to a statement posted on social media network Weibo by China’s Southern Theater Command.

The Associated Press news agency reported that contact with the ship was lost on Thursday night as it sailed to Guangdong province in China’s south.

The Maritime ​and Port Authority of Singapore confirmed that the bulk carrier, Devon Bay, sank in the South China Sea while en route to Yangjiang.

“As the vessel’s flag state, MPA is in contact with the ship owner and relevant search and rescue authorities, and is providing support as required,” it said, adding that it ‌will investigate the incident.

The fish-rich area of Scarborough Shoal is the site of frequent showdowns between Chinese and Philippine ships.

China and the Philippines both claim the area, but sovereignty remains unresolved. China took control in 2012 after a standoff and has since stationed its coastguard and fishing vessels there.

A 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration ‌in The Hague invalidated China’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea and declared its blockade illegal, affirming the shoal as a traditional fishing ground for countries like the Philippines and Vietnam. China rejected the ‍ruling.

China’s claims overlap with the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

A Chinese navy ship accidentally collided with a Chinese coastguard ship in August while trying to block a Philippine coastguard vessel near Scarborough Shoal.