Philippines reports ship damage in clash with Chinese boat
A collision took place as the coast guard was providing assistance to sailors on a stranded vessel at Second Thomas Shoal during a resupply mission
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that one of its vessels sustained “minor structural damage” during an attempt by Chinese ships to obstruct a resupply mission in the South China Sea, marking the latest clash in the contested region.
Jay Tarriela, the PCG spokesperson, detailed the incident that occurred early Tuesday near Second Thomas Shoal, where a small contingent of sailors has been residing aboard the Sierra Madre vessel since it ran aground almost 25 years ago. Tarriela posted videos and images online depicting a Chinese vessel crossing in front of the Philippine resupply ship, prompting the crew to swiftly deploy a buoy between the two ships. The PCG vessels were escorting the resupply boats.
Tarriela took to social media to describe the perilous maneuvers and obstruction by Chinese Coast Guard ships and Chinese Maritime Militia encountered by the PCG vessels, noting that the resupply operation persisted despite the challenges.
He stated, “The reckless and unlawful actions of the Chinese vessels resulted in a collision between MRRV-4407 and China Coast Guard 21555, causing slight damage to the PCG vessel.”
China’s Coast Guard asserted that it had undertaken “enforcement measures” against Philippine ships in the region, alleging their unauthorized entry into the waters. Tensions in the South China Sea have escalated in recent times, with Manila accusing Beijing of engaging in provocative actions against its vessels and lodging numerous diplomatic complaints. Second Thomas Shoal, referred to as Anyungin Shoal by the Philippines and Ren’ai Jiao by China, is situated approximately 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the western Philippine island of Palawan and over 1,000 kilometers from China’s southern Hainan Island.
The Philippines is among several Southeast Asian nations asserting territorial claims in the South China Sea, while China maintains expansive claims over the majority of the waters. In 2012 China took control of Scarborough Shoal following an extended standoff, prompting the Philippines to bring the matter before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which invalidated China’s claims. Beijing has disregarded the court’s ruling.
Source: Newsroom
