A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel rammed a Philippine fisheries ship on Friday, September 18, while the latter was delivering fuel aid to local fishermen off the coast of Palawan, maritime authorities reported.
According to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) West Philippine Sea spokesperson Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela, CCG vessel “21585” deliberately struck the BRP Datu Magat Salamat (MMOV 3015) roughly 6.36 nautical miles north-northwest of Abad Santos Shoal and 54 nautical miles from Palawan—a location within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
The incident occurred around 11:13 a.m., shortly after the Philippine vessel had been freed from a grounding incident at Hasa-Hasa Shoal.
Tarriela detailed that the Chinese vessel initially crossed the stern of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) boat at 11:04 a.m., coming within 10 meters. Nine minutes later, the same vessel repeated the close maneuver and hit the starboard side of the BFAR ship, which had been holding its course.
“The extent of the damage on the starboard side has been confirmed: main railings bent, broken, and detached; metal stanchions and support structures deformed; and deck fixtures and equipment displaced, with debris scattered across the deck,” Tarriela noted.
The spokesperson emphasized the peaceful nature of the Philippine boat’s activity during the collision.
“Let us be clear about what this vessel was doing: it was bringing fuel to Filipino fishermen so they can keep fishing in our own waters and keep food on Filipino tables. The China Coast Guard deliberately rammed a civilian government vessel on a humanitarian and livelihood mission, endangering the lives of its Filipino crew,” he added.
No crew members were injured in the encounter, though Tarriela condemned the action as a direct breach of international maritime standards.
“These actions are a blatant violation of the 1972 COLREGs, the 2016 Arbitral Award, and UNCLOS. No amount of ramming or dangerous maneuvering will change the fact that these waters belong to the Filipino people,” Tarriela said.
Following the impact, the CCG vessel reportedly executed another close pass, coming within five meters of the BFAR ship’s stern.
In response, PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan dispatched air and surface assets to aid the BRP Datu Magat Salamat and ensure the safety of its personnel.