Chinese vessel rams PH ship on fuel subsidy mission near Palawan

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A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel rammed a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship that was delivering fuel subsidies to Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Friday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

PCG spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said CCG vessel 21585 rammed the BRP Datu Magat Salamat while the Philippine vessel was carrying out its maritime patrol and fuel subsidy mission.

Tarriela said that at 11:04 a.m., the Chinese vessel reportedly cut across the stern of the BFAR vessel at a distance of only about 10 meters.

At 11:13 a.m., while the BRP Datu Magat Salamat was maintaining its course, the Chinese vessel repeated the maneuver and made contact with the BFAR vessel, striking it.

A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel rammed a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship that was delivering fuel subsidies to Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Friday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. 🎥: PCG @gmanews pic.twitter.com/5F8jzM7t9H

— Joviland Rita (@jovilandxrita) September 18, 2026

The Philippine vessel sustained damage on its starboard side including the bent, broken, and detached; deformed metal stanchions and support structures deformed; and displaced deck fixtures and equipment displaced, with debris scattered across the deck.

After the collision, CCG-21585 conducted another dangerous maneuver, passing dead astern at a distance of only about five meters, according to Tarriela.

GMA News Online has reached out to the Chinese Embassy for comment but it has yet to reply as of posting time.

The incident occurred around 6.36 nautical miles north-northwest of Abad Santos Shoal and about 54 nautical miles from Palawan's coast, within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan has directed PCG surface and air assets to proceed to the location of the BFAR vessel to provide assistance and ensure the safety of its crew.

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."