A Chinese navy vessel reportedly collided with a coast guard ship from its own country while pursuing a Philippine patrol boat in the South China Sea on Monday, prompting the release of gripping video footage by the Philippines.
The incident transpired near the contested Scarborough Shoal while the Philippine Coast Guard was escorting boats distributing aid to local fishermen. Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard, elaborated on the circumstances surrounding the clash in a statement.
The released video captures a dramatic moment when a China Coast Guard ship collided with a larger vessel marked with the number 164 on its hull. Additional footage showed the damaged Chinese vessel still afloat but with its bow severely crumpled inward, indicating significant damage.
Tarriela explained that the China Coast Guard vessel, identified as CCG 3104, was pursuing the Philippine coast guard vessel BRP Suluan at high speed when it executed a risky maneuver, colliding with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA) warship. This collision caused substantial damage to the forecastle of the CCG vessel, rendering it unseaworthy.
In a subsequent press briefing, Tarriela mentioned that crew members were visible in the front section of the Chinese vessel just seconds before the collision. While the Philippine Coast Guard is uncertain about the fate of these individuals, they expressed hope for their well-being. Notably, Tarriela stated that the Chinese crew did not acknowledge an offer of assistance from the Philippine side.
Chinese coast guard spokesperson Gan Yu confirmed that a confrontation occurred but refrained from addressing the specifics of the collision. He stated that the China Coast Guard took necessary actions, including monitoring and blocking the Philippine vessels in an effort to drive them away.
When approached for comment, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs avoided confirming or denying the collision.
This incident adds to a series of confrontations between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, a region that China claims almost entirely despite an international ruling declaring this assertion without legal basis. Notably, more than 60 percent of global maritime trade transits through these disputed waters.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos discussed the situation at a morning news conference, affirming that the country’s patrol vessels would maintain a presence in the area to uphold and exercise Manila’s sovereign rights over regions considered part of its territory. The Scarborough Shoal, a triangular chain of reefs and rocks, has been a significant flashpoint in relations between the two nations since China seized control of it from the Philippines in 2012.
Earlier during the altercations, the BRP Suluan was reportedly targeted by a water cannon from the Chinese vessel but managed to evade the attack successfully, adding another layer of tension to an already fraught situation in the region.
