The victim, 33-year-old Vladislav Sharolov, had reportedly been swimming with three other friends at the Hon Chong beach in Nha Trang’s Vinh Hai Commune when tragedy struck.

Signs warning beachgoers of rough seas were posted along the beach at the time, discouraging swimmers in Vietnamese, English, and Chinese.

The group of four Russian tourists ignored the signs and swam as far as 100 meters from the shore, according to eyewitness accounts.

A rip tide pulled the group into deeper water where they quickly lost stamina and yelled for help. 

The local beach rescue team immediately sprang to action and was able to safely return three of the tourists to dry land. Sharolov drowned before responders could reach him. His body was found and returned to shore.

According to local authorities, Nha Trang beaches are unsuitable for swimming at this time of the year due to fierce waves and frequent rip currents that pose serious hazards to swimmers.

Authorities stressed that tourists should follow instructions from beach guards and warning signs in order to prevent tragic incidents.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!