Turkey, Ankara: On Monday, the Philippines accused Chinese vessels of engaging in "unlawful and aggressive maneuvers" that led to two collisions with its coast guard ships near a contested reef in the South China Sea.
According to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, the first incident took place near Sabina Shoal, resulting in structural damage to both Philippine Coast Guard vessels. The state-run Philippine News Agency reported this information.
In a separate incident, a China Coast Guard ship reportedly collided with a Philippine Coast Guard vessel twice on each side. This occurred approximately 39 kilometers (24 miles) northwest of Sabina Shoal, causing minor structural damage to the Philippine ship.
The vessels involved were on a mission to resupply personnel stationed on Patag and Lawak Islands. Thankfully, no injuries were reported among the Filipino crew members involved in both incidents.
Beijing asserts sovereignty over much of the South China Sea, including Sabina Shoal, which is situated 140 kilometers (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan.
