China Coast Guard blocks, then allows PH rescue vessel in West Philippine Sea
A China Coast Guard ship monitors a Philippine fisherman aboard his wooden boat during the distribution of fuel and food to fishers by the civilian-led mission Atin Ito (This Is Ours) Coalition, in the disputed South China Sea on May 16, 2024. FILE PHOTO/Agence France-Presse
MANILA, Philippines — China Coast Guard (CCG) ships reportedly blocked and maneuvered dangerously close to a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel en route to rescue two fisherfolk who sustained injuries after their boat’s engine exploded near Bajo de Masinloc in West Philippine Sea (WPS).
PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said the CCG eventually let their multi-role response vessel (MRRV) through after hearing about the explosion.
“Nung una binlock muna pero nung after nila malaman yung reason they even offered help to rescue pero tayo ang nag rescue,” Balilo told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview.
(They first blocked us, but after hearing the reason, they even offered help.)
READ: 2 Subic fishermen suffer severe burns after boat engine exploded in WPS
Article continues after this advertisement“Actually dangerous maneuvers na yon, pina-block nila pero nung napaliwanag wala ng problema. Maganda don nakapag-usap naipaliwanag sa kanila na sinasabi namin na pagka-rescue operation wala dapat issue yung territory,” he added.
(Actually, that is already considered dangerous maneuvers; they blocked the vessel and asked us to explain the problem. But it is a good thing we are able to explain to them that we are conducting a rescue operation, and territorial issues should not be included here.)
Before they were blocked, the MRRV-4407 also “received radio challenges, as well as encountered shadowing” by the CCG and People’s Liberation Army Navy ships, Balilo said.
The CCG also launched two rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) and offered to help rescue the eight fishermen, the PCG official added.
Contrary to this, Commodore Jay Tarriela, the agency’s spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the CCG deployed RHIBs “not to assist the PCG, but to obstruct and hinder their efforts in rescuing the two injured Filipino fishermen.”
“Despite the interference from the Chinese Coast Guard, the PCG, in close coordination with the Filipino fishermen, managed to outmaneuver the RHIBs and successfully transfer the injured fishermen for immediate first aid,” Tarriela said in a statement sent to reporters.
“The PCG vessel, along with the towed Filipino fishing boat, is expected to arrive tomorrow morning,” he added.
In an earlier statement, the PCG said its MRRV-4407 arrived some 17 nautical miles southwest of Bajo de Masinloc to rescue the fishermen around 3:37 p.m.
READ: Fishers exposed to China rule raise PH flag in WPS
“Said fishermen suffered whole body second-degree burns and needed immediate further medical services. All eight crew were taken and given food onboard MRRV 4407,” PCG revealed in a statement on Sunday.
These two fishermen from Subic town, Zambales suffered severe burns after their boat’s engine exploded while fishing near Scarborough Shoal on Saturday, June 29. (Photo courtesy of PCG)
The rescue vessel left the area for safer waters off Subic Zambales around 4:54 p.m. while towing the half-submerged fishing boat.
“With medications done, it was assessed that patients are good to go with said voyage time of the PCG ship,” the agency said.
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