Another company has been discovered polluting Nha Trang Bay while Khanh Hoa Province's authorities continue inspecting the environmental damage allegedly caused by Nha Trang Sao JSC.

The construction site still remains

Since Nha Trang Bay is the national priority area in terms of marine conservation and coastal tourism, any changes or construction projects must be given permission by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

However, the authorities of Khanh Hoa Province People's Committee bypassed this rule and give a permit to build a VND388bn (USD17.6m) tourism wharf to the Focus Travel Company in October 2011. In November, the company was fined VND25m for encroaching and filling up the bay by the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

In 2013, Khanh Hoa People's Committee sent a document to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for "negotiations on architectural plan". Construction work has continued to this day.

On December 21, Huynh Ngoc Bong, a spokesperson of Khanh Hoa Province People's Committee, said they would work with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to inspect the Nha Trang Sao JSC project after locals complained that the company was filling up part of the bay.

Ngo Van Dung, director of Nha Trang Sao JSC, claimed that they had dredged up allegedly dead coral and filled part of the Bay with sand and rocks to create an artificial beach and this had already received official approval.

Truong Kinh, head of Nha Trang Bay management board, said the dead coral was far from being useless as it played a vital role in prevent coastal erosion.