Philippines: Chinese Coast Guard fires water cannons and overwhelms government ship
China's aggressive interference damaged the Philippine ship's port bow and smokestack, endangering the lives of its civilian personnel.
Chinese vessel deploying water cannons against Philippine vessels.
The Philippine Bureau of Fisheries on Thursday accused the Chinese Coast Guard of firing water cannons and side-swiping a Philippine government vessel while it was collecting sand for a research project.
Wednesday's encounter occurred near a cluster of small sandbars in the Spratly islands, where two Philippine vessels were collecting sand samples "as part of a marine scientific research initiative," the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said in a statement picked up by AFP.
"At approximately 0913H, GCC vessel 21559 launched a water gun and struck sideways the BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV 3002) twice... endangering the lives of its civilian personnel."
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It is the first time water cannons have been used against Philippine vessels near the disputed Sandy Cay reef, the office added.
The "aggressive interference, dangerous maneuvers and illegal acts" damaged the port bow and smokestack of the Philippine vessel, the office statement said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said she was not aware of the incident. "What I can tell you is that the Chinese coast guard always enforces the law according to the laws and regulations," she said in a statement.
Last month, the Philippines branded as "irresponsible" a Chinese state media report that the Sandy Cay was under Chinese control.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV claimed that the country's coast guard had "implemented maritime control" over the Tiexian reef in mid-April.
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