As has now become routine, the two governments each issued statements detailing yesterday’s incident and assigning blame in the opposite direction. In a statement, a Philippine government task force accused the China Coast Guard (CCG) of ramming and firing water cannons at the BRP Datu Sanday, a vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), which was transporting diesel, food and medical supplies to Filipino fishermen at Sabina Shoal.
While en route from Half Moon Shoal to Sabina Shoal, the Datu Sanday “encountered aggressive and dangerous maneuvers from eight People’s Republic of China maritime vessels,” the task force said. The CCG vessels “made close perilous maneuvers that resulted in ramming, blasted horns, and deployed water cannons against the BFAR vessel.”
