After the boat capsized in the early hours of Friday, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northwest of Scarborough Shoal (also known as Huangyan Dao), the Chinese Ministry of National Defense announced that the Chinese coastguard had sent two vessels to aid.
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The Philippines’ coastguard announced in a statement on Friday that it had sent two ships and two aircraft to help with the crew’s rescue of the cargo ship, which it called the Devon Bay.
According to a statement from China’s Southern Theater Command posted on social media site Weibo, the Chinese rescuers removed the bodies of at least 17 Filipino sailors from the water, 14 of whom were in stable condition, one of whom was receiving treatment, and two of whom had died.
As the ship sailed to Guangdong province in the south of China on Thursday night, it lost contact with the Associated Press news agency.
The bulk carrier Devon Bay, which was en route to Yangjiang, sank in the South China Sea, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
According to the statement, “MPA is in contact with the ship owner and relevant search and rescue authorities, and is providing support as needed,” adding that it will look into the incident.
Scarborough Shoal, a fish-rich region, is frequently the site of Chinese and Philippine ship showdowns.
The region’s sovereignty is still disputed, but China and the Philippines both claim it. After a standoff, China finally relinquished control of the area, where it has since stationed its coastguard and fishing vessels.
The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 decision invalidated China’s extensive claims to the South China Sea and declared its blockade unlawful, confirming its status as a traditional fishing port for nations like the Philippines and Vietnam. The decision was rejected by China.
Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and other countries with exclusive economic jurisdictions are covered by China’s claims.
Source: Aljazeera
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