A diving group sent by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment said they found no layers of dead fish on the seabed in Quang Binh Province as reported by local fishermen.

Decaying sea cucumbers, scallops and oysters found on the seabed in Dong Hoi City

An inspection team from the Marine Natural Resources - Environmental Survey Centre co-operated with a group of divers from Nha Trang City and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in Quang Binh to survey and take water samples at locations that were reported to have layers of dead fish and a white substance covering the corals.

However, the group said they had found no layers of dead fish or white substance as reported by fishermen.

Phan Xuan Hao, head of Quang Binh Environment Protection Department, said they collected various samples of water, mud and sediment for tests. Official announcements will be made after they have the final results for the tests of the water on the surface as well as near the seabed.

On May 7, divers from Quang Phu Commune, Dong Hoi City brought back a lot of coral that had appeared to have turned from red to white. They also brought up decaying sea cucumbers, scallops and oysters. According to the divers, they had seen many dead fish on the seabed two weeks ago but now there was no fish, dead or alive.

Coral appeared to have turned from red to white

Last week, fishermen in Nhan Trach Commune, Quang Binh Province found layers of dead fish underwater while diving into the local seabed some 2-3 nautical miles from the shore.

Nguyen Can, a local fisherman, who usually fishes near the shore, said that normally his net was very dirty when fishing in the coral reef area, but recently, it is very different in colour as it has become whiter and looked almost new. He suspects that the sea water contains detergents.