PCG ship sustains minor damage after collision with China vessel during resupply mission

A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel sustained minor damage after it figured in a collision with a Chinese vessel during a resupply mission for troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre at the Ayungin Shoal on Tuesday, March 5.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the collision was a result of what he described as dangerous maneuvers of Chinese vessels in an attempt to block Philippine vessels doing the resupply mission.
“Throughout the operation, the PCG vessels faced dangerous maneuvers and blocking from Chinese Coast Guard vessels and Chinese Maritime Militia,” Tarriela said in his post at on X (formerly Twitter).
“Their reckless and illegal actions led to a collision between MRRV-4407 and China Coast Guard 21555 that resulted in minor structural damage to the PCG vessel,” he added.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed that there was indeed a rotation and re-provisioning mission by its Western Command at the BRP Sierra Madre which serves as a Philippine outpost after it was run aground in 1999.
AFP spokesman Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the rotation and re-provisioning mission involved two civilian contracted vessels (Unaizah May 1 and 4) supported by Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard ships.
“This action is a routine task to sustain military forces deployed in the West Philippine Sea and maintain Philippine presence in its exclusive economic zone,” said Trinidad.
“It also demonstrates the AFP's commitment to ensuring that every Filipino will rightfully benefit from this resource-rich region,” he added.
On the part of the PCG, Tarriela said PCG commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan deployed BRP Cabra and BRP Sindangan to back the resupply mission.
In an X Post, the Chinese Coast Guard, through China Global Times, said it "lawfully took control measures" on Tuesday against a Philippine vessel in Second Thomas Shoal.
The incident on Tuesday was the latest of what Philippine security officials described as continuous harassment of Chinese ships on Philippine vessels within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the country.
China has been claiming almost the entire South China Sea, a claim which was invalidated by a United Nations Tribunal ruling based on the case filed by the Philippine government.