China’s Ministry of National Defense said the coastguard deployed two vessels to assist after the ship overturned early Friday about 100 kilometres northwest of Scarborough Shoal, known in China as Huangyan Dao.
At least two sailors have died and 15 others were rescued after a Singapore-flagged cargo ship carrying 21 Filipino crew members capsized in disputed waters of the South China Sea, leaving four people missing, according to Chinese and Philippine authorities.
China’s Ministry of National Defense said the coastguard deployed two vessels to assist after the ship overturned early Friday about 100 kilometres northwest of Scarborough Shoal, known in China as Huangyan Dao.
The Philippine Coast Guard said it also sent two ships and two aircraft to help with rescue efforts involving the cargo vessel, identified as the Devon Bay.
China’s Southern Theater Command said at least 17 Filipino sailors were pulled from the water 14 in stable condition, one receiving treatment, and the bodies of two who had died according to a statement posted on China’s Weibo social media platform.
The Associated Press reported that contact with the vessel was lost on Thursday night while it was sailing toward Guangdong province in southern China.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority confirmed that the bulk carrier Devon Bay sank while en route to Yangjiang in the South China Sea.
“As the vessel’s flag state, MPA is in contact with the ship owner and relevant search and rescue authorities and is providing support as required,” the agency said, adding that it will investigate the incident.
Scarborough Shoal, a fish-rich area, has been the scene of frequent confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels. Both countries claim the territory, though sovereignty remains unresolved. China took control of the area in 2012 after a standoff and has since maintained a coastguard and fishing presence there.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled against China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea and declared its blockade illegal, affirming the shoal as a traditional fishing ground for countries including the Philippines and Vietnam. China rejected the ruling.
China’s claims also overlap with the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
In August, a Chinese navy vessel accidentally collided with a Chinese coastguard ship while attempting to block a Philippine coastguard ship near Scarborough Shoal.
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