Russian tourists drown in central Vietnam beach

The men, in their sixties, were reportedly washed away by strong waves that pulled them 20 meters (0.21 feet) away from shore into rough waters when swimming in a beach off Pham Van Dong Street.

Rescue workers rushed to the beach to bring them to the shore. However, they were pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital.

Police are investigating the incident. The province’s Department of Foreign Affairs has said they are working with local police to identify the victims.

Local residents said the beach is prone to drowning accidents, with strong waves that sweep swimmers away.

In 2017, a 34-year-old Russian man, Vladislav Sharolov, drowned after jumping into rough waters in Nha Trang, ignoring lifeguards’ warnings.

Nha Trang has been a popular beach destination for Russian tourists for many years.

Last year, more than 333,000 Russian tourists arrived in the resort town, up 3 percent against the previous year, according to data from the province’s tourism department.