Metal debris bearing Chinese markings was found by a fisherman in the open sea water in Morong, Bataan, the Philippine Coast Guard confirmed on Friday, June 9.
Fisherman Alvin Menez found the huge metal object floating approximately 10 miles off Napot Point in Brgy. Nagbalayong last June 5 while he was fishing. Menez towed the metal debris towards the shoreline using his motorboat and called authorities to report the incident.
“The debris was found by a local fisherman in Morong, Bataan. It was turned over to the Philippine Coast Guard and we have pictures showing that it had markings of Chinese characters,” PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said in a public briefing.
The debris resembled the top section of a Tianzhou spacecraft, according to Commo. Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea. Tianzhou is a cargo spacecraft developed by China.
Last week, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) also said that they received inquiries about sightings of unidentified falling objects over Northern Samar and Zamboanga Sibugay. The sightings occurred around 3 a.m. on May 27. It said the sightings were highly likely related to the re-entry of orbital debris from Chinese rocket launched in 2019.
Balilo said the PCG has coordinated with the Chinese Embassy in Manila and PhilSA to discuss the retrieval of the metal debris in Bataan.
At present, the debris is in the possession of the Coast Guard Station Bataan for an investigation but Balilo said it will be turned over to PhilSA for proper disposition.
There have been several instances in the past where huge metal debris with Chinese markings had been recovered in the country’s seas.
In November 2022, Big metallic debris suspected to be wreckage of China’s Long March 5B rocket were found separately off the waters of Occidental Mindoro and Palawan.
In August 2022, rocket debris suspectedly from China’s Long March (CZ-5B) booster rocket also dropped off the Mindoro Strait in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro.
The PhilSa warned that orbital debris – components, parts or fragments of spacecraft or satellite which no longer serve functions – could collide with other objects in space or fall back to Earth. It noted that the uncontrolled re-entry of orbital debris in the atmosphere has the potential to cause damage, harm, or injury.