China Coast Guard Rams Philippine Boat During Resupply Mission
The incident occurred near Palawan province, marking the latest in a series of confrontations in disputed waters.
A China Coast Guard vessel rammed a Philippine boat on a resupply mission in the South China Sea on Friday, damaging its railings and deck structures. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported no injuries resulted from the encounter.
The incident involved the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel BRP Datu Magat Salamat, which was approximately 54 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan province, distributing fuel to Filipino fishermen. According to the PCG, a China Coast Guard vessel engaged in dangerous maneuvers before making contact with the Philippine ship.
Video released by the PCG captured crew members shouting "brace for impact!" moments before the collision, which occurred at 11:13 a.m. Photographs taken after the impact revealed bent and detached railings, damaged metal supports, and debris on the deck.
The China Coast Guard issued its own statement, asserting that it conducted law enforcement operations near Sabina Shoal on Friday. Beijing claimed the Philippine vessel "disregarded repeated solemn warnings, deliberately altered its course and suddenly accelerated to cut across the bow of our vessel." The Chinese statement maintained that its vessel operated professionally and attributed blame for the collision to the Philippine side.
This incident follows previous confrontations in the region. In July, Manila accused Beijing of using water cannons against government vessels near Scarborough Shoal and striking a Philippine Navy staff member with a wooden baton during an encounter in the Second Thomas Shoal.