MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Chinese coast guard ships fired water cannons at two Philippine patrol vessels Tuesday near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, causing minor damage to one vessel, in the latest flareup in an increasingly tense territorial conflict. There were no immediate reports of injuries in the incident off Scarborough Shoal, one of two hotly disputed areas where confrontations between China and the Philippines have flared on and off since last year. A Philippine coast guard ship and an accompanying fisheries vessel were patrolling the waters off Scarborough Shoal when four Chinese coast guard ships, backed by six suspected militia ships, executed dangerous blocking maneuvers, Philippine coast guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said. A Chinese coast guard ship used a water cannon against the fisheries vessel, the BRP Bankaw, and two other Chinese coast guard ships hit the Philippine coast guard ship, the BRP Bagacay, simultaneously from both sides, damaging part of its deck railing and a canopy, Tarriela said. |
Biden hosts Japanese, Philippine leaders to discuss China’s aggressionSouth China Sea news: Chinese media slams Australian warship at centre of sonar incidentMuhammad Ali's trunks from 'Thrilla in Manila' up for saleMan accused of stealing $2000 worth of groceries in AucklandWaikato schoolchildren pitch into major kiwi relocation projectPetrobras launches carbon‑neutral gasoline in BrazilVOX POPULI: Molds can make food colorful and tasty but they can also be lethalJungle Island Music Festival: 60 acts at HK's new, 3Long Beach Police arrest 4 in gangVideo captures scary moments as speedway car crashes over safety fence