Chinese military ships attack a Philippine vessel that is evacuating patients.
Chinese military ships attack a Philippine vessel that is evacuating patients.
Two Philippine vessels meet on the open seas to transfer an ailing Filipino soldier, as seen in a video released by the Philippine Coast Guard on Friday. The Philippine vessels are bumped, blocked, and shadowed by China Coast Guard boats.
The incident happened last month during the medical evacuation of a soldier from Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea who was stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre, a Philippine Navy warship that was stuck.
The Philippine Coast Guard reported to the China Coast Guard the “humanitarian nature” of their mission and stated that on May 19, they recovered the soldier from a speedboat belonging to the Philippine Navy.
A series of recordings released by the Philippine Coast Guard shows an inflatable speedboat flying the Chinese flag crashing with the two stopped Philippine vessels as they prepare to transfer the patient.
There are apparently other visible vessels behind and impeding the Philippine Coast Guard boat’s passage, which the Philippines has identified as belonging to the Chinese Coast Guard.
The Chinese boats “engaged in dangerous manoeuvres” and “intentionally rammed” the Philippine Navy cruiser, according to a statement issued by the Philippine Coast Guard spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Jay Tarriela.
“There is no place for the China Coast Guard’s savage and inhumane behavior in our society,” Tarriela declared.
He claimed that “what should have been a straightforward medical evacuation operation was harassed.”
“It was evident from their actions that they intended to keep the ill staff member from getting the necessary medical care that he desperately needed.”
In response to the charge, China’s foreign ministry stated that, provided Beijing was informed beforehand, it may “allow” the Philippines to transfer “necessary supplies” and remove personnel from the Sierra Madre.
Spokesman Mao Ning, citing China’s term for Second Thomas Shoal, stated, “But the Philippines should not use this as an excuse to ship construction materials to the deliberately grounded warship in an attempt to permanently occupy the Ren’ai Reef.”
Near disputed reefs, particularly Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, there have been several encounters between Chinese and Philippine vessels. Beijing claims nearly the whole waterway.
The western Philippine island of Palawan is around 200 kilometers (120 miles) away from Second Thomas Shoal, whereas Hainan island, China’s closest significant landmass, is almost 1,000 kilometers away.
After being carried into a Philippine Coast Guard boat, the Filipino soldier was transported to Palawan and given medical attention there.
The soldier’s medical condition was not disclosed by the Philippines.
About The Author
