Ships collided and water cannons allegedly precipitated harm and accidents throughout a skirmish between Chinese language and Philippine vessels within the disputed South China Sea on Tuesday.
The Philippine Coast Guard mentioned that two Chinese language ships used water cannons whereas pursuing the BRP Datu Gumbay Piang, a fisheries vessel, because it delivered meals to Filipino fisherman close to the Scarborough Shoal, a triangular set of rocks and reefs that each international locations declare.
“This aggressive motion lasted for about 29 minutes, leading to vital harm, together with shattered glass from the aft window of the bridge,” mentioned Commodore Jay Tarriela, a coast guard spokesperson. A crew member was injured by the shattered glass, Tarriela mentioned.
China’s Coast Guard fired water cannons after the Philippine ship had “disregarded solemn warnings from the Chinese language facet and intentionally rammed a Chinese language coast guard vessel,” Chinese language coast guard spokesperson Gan Yu mentioned.
Yu mentioned the encounter on Tuesday concerned greater than 10 Philippine ships; the Philippines mentioned 9 Chinese language ships had been concerned. Each side have launched video exhibiting a Chinese language ship and a Philippines ship colliding.
The Scarborough Shoal sits throughout the Philippines’ United Nations-defined unique financial zone. China claims a lot of the South China Sea as a part of its historic maritime territory regardless of a 2016 ruling from a global arbitration courtroom denying that declare.
Tuesday’s incident got here almost every week after China introduced it will create a nature reserve on the Scarborough Shoal. Philippine officers condemned that plan, calling it a “clear pretext for occupation.”
Consists of reporting from Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
