The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) alleges that a Chinese military helicopter performed dangerous maneuvers near a Philippine fisheries aircraft conducting a routine survey of Scarborough Shoal, a disputed area in the South China Sea. The incident, which raised concerns about safety and international aviation regulations, has further heightened tensions between the two countries over the contested waters.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) accused a Chinese military helicopter of executing “dangerous maneuvers” in an apparent attempt to harass a civilian aircraft while it was surveying the area around Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc) yesterday morning.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, the PCG’s spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), said the incident happened as the fixed-wing Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft was conducting a maritime domain awareness flight around 7 a.m.He pointed out that after almost one and a half hours of trespassing in the Philippines’ territorial air space, a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-Navy) helicopter, identified by tail number 68, performed dangerous flight maneuvers towards the BFAR aircraft. “This reckless action posed a serious risk to the safety of the pilots and passengers during the MDA flight,” Tarriela said. In a statement, the National Maritime Council (NMC) said “This blatantly hazardous action endangered the safety of the pilots and passengers onboard. It demonstrated a lack of regard for internationally-accepted norms on good airmanship and flight safety.” “The Philippines has undeniable sovereignty and jurisdiction over Bajo de Masinloc. China’s illegal, coercive and aggressive behavior will not deter the Philippines from continuing the conduct of its routine maritime operations in accordance with its sovereignty over the shoal,” the NMC added. Tarriela noted that the PLA-Navy helicopter came as close as 3 meters to the port side and above the BFAR aircraft, raising significant concerns regarding the PLA-Navy’s clear violation and blatant disregard for the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) international aviation regulations. Video footage of the aerial encounter went viral as photojournalists were aboard the BFAR plane when the incident happened. “The PCG and BFAR remain committed to asserting our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and maritime jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea, despite the aggressive and escalatory actions of China,” he added. Scarborough Shoal, also known as Panatag Shoal, lies 222 kilometers (120 nautical miles) west of Luzon, well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Meanwhile, the Chinese military’s Southern Theatre Command told the Reuters news agency that a Philippine plane “intruded” into China’s airspace over Scarborough Shoal. Furthermore, the command alleged that the move by the Philippines severely “violated” China’s sovereignty, adding that the Chinese military organized naval and air forces to track, monitor, and drive away the plane. China claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, despite overlapping claims from the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei
Scarborough Shoal West Philippine Sea South China Sea China Philippines Philippine Coast Guard PLA-Navy International Aviation Regulations Maritime Disputes
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