South China Sea: Philippines sailor suffers ‘serious injury’ from China coastguard ‘ramming’
- The Philippine military said the injured sailor had been successfully evacuated and was being treated, but did not specify the injury
A Philippine navy sailor suffered “serious injury” after what the country’s military called on Tuesday “intentional-high speed ramming” by the Chinese coastguard during a resupply mission in the South China Sea.
The Philippine military said in a statement the Chinese coastguard’s “continued aggressive behaviour and unprofessional conduct towards a legitimate humanitarian mission is unacceptable.”
China and the Philippines have accused each other of being at fault for Monday’s collision near a disputed atoll in the South China Sea.
Philippine officials said China disrupted a military mission to resupply sailors stationed in Second Thomas Shoal in a rusting navy ship BRP Sierra Madre that Manila deliberately beached in 1999 to bolster its maritime claim.
China’s coastguard disputed this and said the navy vessel deliberately and dangerously approached a Chinese ship unprofessionally, forcing it to take control measures such as “warnings and blockades, boarding inspections, and forced evictions.”
The Philippines said China’s account was “deceptive and misleading”.
The Philippine military said on Tuesday the injured sailor had been successfully evacuated and was being treated. It did not specify the nature of the injury.