CHINA COAST GUARD VESSEL COLLIDES WITH PH SUPPLY BOAT IN AYUNGIN

A CHINESE ship collided with a Philippine supply boat in Ayungin Shoal Sunday morning, October 22.

According to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), “dangerous blocking maneuvers” by the China Coast Guard vessel caused the collision.

The Philippine boat was on a resupply mission to the detachment manning the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal when the incident happened around 6:04 a.m. Sunday.

The NTF-WPS did not specify what damage the Philippine resupply boat Unaiza May 2 sustained in the collision or whether it completed its mission.

“The NTF-WPS condemns in the strongest degree the latest dangerous, irresponsible, and illegal actions of the CCG and the CMM done this morning, in violation of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction and in utter blatant disregard of the United Nations Charter, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) and relevant international maritime conventions, and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” the NTF-WPS said.

According to the NTF-WPS, authorities have been informed about the collision.

China’s latest disruption of a Philippine resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal was condemned by the United States and Canada.