Around 5 p.m. on 22/6, residents discovered the body of Nguyen Trong Phu, 54, from Truong Vinh ward, Nghe An province, washed ashore at Xuan Thanh beach, Tien Dien commune, Ha Tinh province. His 13-year-old son remains missing.

Authorities confirmed that Phu had driven his son to the Xuan Thanh beach tourist area for a swim that afternoon. An autopsy performed on Phu found no water in his lungs, ruling out drowning as the cause of death. Investigators suspect he suffered a sudden death while swimming, after which his body was carried to shore by waves. The boy, who was unsupervised, was swept away by the current.

Location where Nguyen Trong Phu's body was found. Photo: Hung Le.

Location where Nguyen Trong Phu's body was found. Photo: Hung Le.

Since the afternoon of 22/6 until this morning, local authorities and border guards have coordinated extensive search efforts. They have deployed fishing boats and rescue canoes to scour the sea and organized search teams along the coastline, but these efforts have not yet yielded any results.

The victim's oto parked on Xuan Thanh beach. Photo: Hung Le.

The victim's oto parked on Xuan Thanh beach. Photo: Hung Le.

Xuan Thanh is one of Ha Tinh province's large and popular beaches, attracting many tourists during the summer. While the beach features gentle slopes, certain sections are known to have rip currents and localized deep holes, posing significant safety risks to swimmers.

Over the past week, Ha Tinh has experienced hot weather with temperatures between 36 and 39 degrees Celsius. This has led to a significant increase in the number of people flocking to the beach, especially in the afternoons. Authorities advise that when swimming, especially for children or the elderly, supervision by an accompanying adult is essential to prevent incidents.

Duc Hung