A Philippine offshore vessel was rammed and disabled by Chinese cutters and warships near a contested South China Sea shoal on Sunday.
BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV-3002), an offshore vessel operated by Manila’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, was surrounded by at least eight ships belonging to the China Coast Guard and People’s Liberation Army Navy according to a statement from the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.
One of the vessels reported to be involved in the incident, the Type 056 Jiangdao-class corvette CNS Wuzhou (626), was seen by USNI News during an embark on HMCS Montréal during a joint patrol between Canadian, Australian, Philippine and U.S. forces between August 7-8.
NTF-WPS STATEMENT
Today, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel, BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV 3002), encountered aggressive and dangerous maneuvers from eight Chinese maritime forces while operating from Hasa-Hasa Shoal to Escoda Shoal. The actions of the Chinese… pic.twitter.com/N8WW5QkXJE
— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) August 25, 2024
Video from journalists aboard the Philippine vessel shows China Coast Guard cutters deploying water cannons and ramming Datu Sanday. The deployment of water cannons reportedly caused an engine failure on the Philippine vessel, prematurely ending the mission. Chinese forces have used water canons to disable engines on Philippine vessels attempting to BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57) at Second Thomas Shoal, USNI News has previously reported.
According to Beijing, Chinese forces used “control measures” when the vessel approached Escoda Shoal, a feature that resides within the Philippine exclusive economic zone but is claimed by China. Manila stated that the vessel, traditionally used to resupply fishing crews with fuel, food and medical supplies, was conducting a “humanitarian mission” between Half Moon Shoal and Escoda Shoal. The Philippine release further denied claims by the China Coast Guard that their vessels rescued a sailor thrown overboard during the incident, citing the claim as “completely unfounded.”
“This misinformation serves as a clear illustration of the PRC’s willingness to distort the truth and engage in disinformation to bolster its public image,” said the statement.
STATEMENT OF THE NTFWPS
On August 22, during a Maritime Domain Awareness Flight conducted by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the People’s Republic of China (PRC) launched flares from their militarized reclaimed island in Zamora Reef, within the territorial… pic.twitter.com/bR1W2zwMLN
— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) August 24, 2024
Escoda Shoal, known as Sabina Shoal by the Philippines and Xianbin Jiao by China, has been the site of numerous incidents. The shoal has been the site of a standoff between Philippine Coast Guard flagship BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) and Chinese warships and patrol vessels since April. In recent weeks, the China Coast Guard has also attempted to intercept vessels going near Escoda, resulting in last week’s ramming incident that saw the hulls of two Philippine patrol vessels punctured during their transit near the shoal on their way to other outposts in the area.
The incident is the fifth since a provisional deal brokered between the Philippines and China over the resupply and rotation of personnel at Manila’s Second Thomas Shoal outpost following a severe incident on June 17. Despite the brief respite, encounters between the two countries’ armed forces and maritime law enforcement agencies have ramped up since the beginning of August at sea and in the airspace over disputed features.
Three aerial incidents involving flares have occurred since August 8 between Chinese forces and Philippine maritime domain awareness missions over the South China Sea. The latest incidents involved Chinese personnel and fighter aircraft deploying flares against Philippine patrol missions over Subi Reef and Scarborough Shoal last week. Philippine defense officials voiced their concern about the disputes spreading to the airspace over the features, with Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro reportedly considering using the country’s limited fighter jet fleet to escort future patrol missions in the region.
