China vessels collide while harassing PCG boat in Panatag

MANILA, Philippines, August 12 ------ While trying to chase away a Philippine Coast Guard vessel, a China Coast Guard (CGG) ship collided with another Chinese vessel – a warship – in the vicinity of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

In a post on X, PCG spokesman on West Philippine Sea issues Commodore Jay Tarriela said the collision between CCG vessel with bow number 3104 and a People’s Liberation Army-Navy ship with bow number 154 took place approximately 10.5 nautical miles east of Bajo de Masinloc, the other local name of Panatag Shoal.

Tarriela said the CCG vessel was pursuing PCG’s 44-meter ship BRP Suluan “at high speed” when it crashed into the Chinese warship while performing a “risky maneuver from the PCG vessel’s starboard quarter.” The collision with the warship “resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel’s forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy,” Tarriela said. He added that the Suluan offered to help in the rescue of Chinese sailors who may have been thrown overboard, but its message was ignored. “We offered to search and rescue the men overboard the CCG vessel but they did not respond,” he said.

Tarriela said “good seamanship” by the Suluan skipper and his men enabled the PCG vessel to steer away from the CCG ship’s dangerous maneuver. He said the collision appeared to have “flattened” the CCG vessel’s bow, but also caused “very significant dent and scratches” on the PCG’s Suluan. Tarriela stressed that the PCG “reaffirms its dedication to safeguarding all maritime operations in the area and wishes for the swift recovery and proper treatment of any affected CCG personnel.”

The incident, he added, should help convince Chinese maritime authorities that such “dangerous maneuvers can lead to maritime incidents or sea mishaps” as they were clearly in violation of international regulations. When asked about the possibility that China might blame the Philippines for the collision, Tarriela said the PCG has a video recording of the incident. “Despite them being very good in distorting the narrative, I can’t see any reason for them to say that it was our fault,” he said.

Before it collided with the PLA ship, CCG 3104 had also tried to blast Suluan with its water cannon, but the Filipino vessel managed to evade it, according to Tarriela. He said the PCG’s 97-meter ship BRP Teresa Magbanua was able to assist M/V Pamamalakaya in carrying out the “Kadiwa Para sa Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda (KBBM)” initiative,” he added.

The Magbanua brought 35 Filipino fishing vessels around Panatag to “a secure location,” where the distribution of fuel and food supply was held, he said.

Source: philstar.com