One crewman has died and another five were missing after a cargoship sank off Vietnam.

The 5,200-dwt VTB 26 (built 2011) was carrying coal from Quang Ninh to Cua Lo in the Gulf of Tonkin when it went down in the early hours of Monday, local media said.

It had anchored outside Ca Lo, where it was hit by big waves and strong winds from typhoon Talas.