China’s coast guard seized two small Philippine supply vessels that were delivering materials to a military detachment stationed on an anchored ship near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea on Tuesday. Several Filipino sailors, including at least one seriously, were reported to have been injured in the altercation.
Philippine government officials described the event as consisting of “dangerous maneuvers, including ramming and towing,” when the inflatable crafts were confronted by a pair of Chinese speed boats while they were maneuvering towards the BRP Sierra Madre.
The displaced sailors were later rescued by nearby friendly forces.
Beijing denied the allegations, accusing the logistics squad of having “dangerously approached a Chinese vessel in normal navigation in an unprofessional manner, resulting in a collision.”
The incident comes as China recently enacted a new law that authorizes its coast guard to confiscate ships and detain the operators if they enter the territorial waters that the communist nation claims are their own.
