A Chinese naval vessel has slammed into one of its own coast guard ships while pursuing a Philippine patrol boat in the disputed South China Sea.
Footage, released by Philippine officials, showed the dramatic collision between a Chinese Coast Guard vessel and a much bigger People’s Liberation Army Navy warship close to the Scarborough Shoal, claimed by both nations.
A loud crash can be heard in the video when the Chinese ships strike each other.
Photos released by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) show one of the Chinese vessels with a crumpled bow following the collision on Monday.
PCG spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said it was caused by a “risky manoeuvre” from one of the Chinese ships.
“The (China Coast Guard vessel) CCG 3104, which was chasing the (Filipino coast guard vessel) BRP Suluan at high speed, performed a risky manoeuvre from the (Philippine) vessel’s starboard quarter, leading to the impact with the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) Navy warship,” he said.
“This resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel’s forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy.”
It is not known whether any of the crews from the Chinese ships were injured.
Tarriela said the PCG vessel offered assistance but the Chinese crew did not respond.
The collision comes after years of head-on disputes between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea.
The Chinese government has repeatedly accused the Philippines and other rival claimant states, including Vietnam and Malaysia, of encroaching on what it says are “undisputed” Chinese territorial waters.
An international court has ruled the claim has no legal basis.
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