The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has reached out to China regarding a maritime incident involving a Chinese-flagged bulk carrier and a Filipino fishing boat near Paluan, Occidental Mindoro. The incident, which occurred at 4 p.m. on a Tuesday, involved the allision between the Filipino boat FBCA Ruel J and the Chinese vessel MV TAI HANG 8. This collision resulted in the Filipino boat being left adrift, while the Chinese vessel continued its voyage, apparently unaware of the impact.
In response, the PCG’s maritime safety officer penned a letter to China, as it’s the obligation of the flag state to investigate such incidents. Rear Admiral Armand Balilo, the PCG spokesperson, emphasized that if evidence and the incident’s severity warrant, the crew of the Chinese vessel should be held accountable. The protocols dictate that the Philippines inform China about the incident, and China is then responsible for conducting an investigation.
Following the collision, five Filipino fishermen—Junrey Sardan, Ryan Jay Daus, Bryan Pangatungam, Cristian Arizala, and Joshua Barbas—were rescued. The fishing boat, which was attached to a ‘payao’ (a type of fish aggregating device used in the Philippines), was severely impacted, affecting the livelihoods of many families dependent on it. Jaziel Salinas, the boat’s owner, made a public appeal for accountability and compensation from the management of the Chinese vessel.
In light of this incident, the Coast Guard and local government authorities have distributed aid to the affected fishermen.
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