On Friday (September 18th), a collision occurred between Chinese and Filipino vessels in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. The Philippine Coast Guard stated that a Chinese coast guard ship collided with a Philippine government vessel carrying out a replenishment mission, resulting in damage to the hull structure but no injuries to personnel.
According to reports from Reuters, the “BRP Datu Magat Salamat” operated by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of the Philippines was conducting a replenishment mission approximately 54 nautical miles west of Palawan Province. They were preparing to provide fuel replenishment to local Filipino fishermen.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that a Chinese coast guard ship engaged in a series of dangerous maneuvers and collided with the Filipino vessel. The incident occurred at 11:13 local time, causing damage to the railing, metal brackets, and deck structure of the Filipino vessel. Despite some debris scattered on the deck, no injuries were reported.
Video footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed Filipino crew members shouting “We’re going to be hit!” before the collision occurred. The Philippines accused the Chinese coast guard of intentionally striking a civilian government vessel performing humanitarian and civic duties.
The Chinese coast guard, on the other hand, stated that they were lawfully carrying out enforcement actions near Sabina Shoal and blamed the collision on the Filipino side.
Sabina Shoal is an atoll located in the southeastern part of the South China Sea’s Spratly Islands, an area where recent maritime tensions between China and the Philippines have been more concentrated. The Philippines has been dispatching government vessels to conduct patrols, supply, and support missions in the region, while China has been conducting coast guard law enforcement activities in the same waters.
Previous data released by the Philippine Coast Guard indicated that Chinese and Filipino vessels have had close encounters and maritime standoffs in the South China Sea.
This incident marks another recent maritime clash between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. In July of this year, the Philippines accused a Chinese coast guard ship of firing water cannons near Ayungin Shoal, and alleged that Chinese personnel struck a Filipino Navy officer with wooden sticks during a standoff near Second Thomas Shoal.
Both China and the Philippines assert sovereignty or maritime rights over parts of the South China Sea. In 2016, an arbitration tribunal ruled on a case brought by the Philippines, a ruling that China has since rejected and refused to recognize.