Two Vietnamese killed, five arrested in chase with Philippine navy

Two Vietnamese fishermen were found dead and five others were taken into custody after they were spotted fishing off the northwestern Philippines, sparking a night chase during which a Vietnamese boat hit a Philippine navy ship and shots were fired, officials said on Sunday.

Philippine navy information officer Lieutenant Jose Covvarubias said the five Vietnamese, along with their two dead fellow fishermen, were turned over to Philippine police authorities after the early Saturday incident off Bolinao town in northwestern Pangasinan province.

A Philippine security official said the incident unfolded closer to the Philippine coast and was not related to the main territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila was the one authorised to speak on the issue.

Covvarubias said details were sketchy and that an investigation was underway. It was not immediately clear whether the two Vietnamese died from gunshot wounds or other causes.

“The information that we got is a Vietnamese fishing boat hit the navy ship,” Covvarubias said, adding that “a Vietnamese fishing vessel was being apprehended” when the confrontation happened.

The security official said a Philippine navy patrol ship, PS19, spotted six suspected Vietnamese fishing vessels using powerful lights to attract fish more than 55km from Bolinao.