Tourists ignore warnings as several near-drownings reported off Vietnam’s Nha Trang coast

Rescue teams on Monday saved an 86-year-old man who was swept away by strong surf while swimming at a public beach park in Nha Trang, said Dam Hai Van, director of the Nha Trang Bay Management Board.

The man was pulled from the water around 9:40 am and given first aid before being taken to a hospital, Van said.

The city's beaches have seen waves as high as two meters in recent days, posing a serious risk to swimmers.

Warning signs in Vietnamese and English have been placed along the shoreline.

Despite the warnings, many people, including foreign visitors, continue to swim in deep water.

On October 22, rescuers saved a Russian man in his 50s who was caught in strong waves, and several other tourists were rescued on October 16, 18 and 19, the management board said.

Nguyen Van Hung, head of the Nha Trang Bay patrol and rescue team, urged residents and tourists not to swim in dangerous weather and to follow safety instructions from lifeguards.