Three Filipino fishermen killed in South China Sea after collision with foreign vessel, says Philippines

Three Filipino fishermen died after an "unidentified commercial vessel" allegedly struck their fishing boat in the South China Sea, the Philipines Coast Guard said on Wednesday.

The maritime collision occurred near the Scarborough Shoal on Monday, increasing tensions in the disputed region of the South China Sea, CNN reported. Authorities are yet to confirm the type of vessel that rammed the Philippine craft FFB Dearyn. However, they believe the boat that caused the collision was "foreign."

On Tuesday morning, eleven members who survived the crash reached the lands. They carried their dead crew mates to Pangasinan province in northern Kuzon, the nation's largest island. The boat's captain was among the three fishermen who died during the blow.

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According to a post on X, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Coast Guard is "backtracking and checking all monitored vessels in the area as part of its ongoing investigation."

"We assure the victims, their families, and everyone that we will exert every effort to hold accountable those responsible for this unfortunate maritime incident," Marcos added.

The South China Sea is a crucial 1.3 million square-mile waterway for international trade. It witnesses an estimated third of global shipping worth trillions of dollars passing through each year, implying that large container ships and oil tankers routinely sail through the region. It encompassesvast fertile fishing grounds, providing a livelihood for fishermen who use smaller vessels.

However, bracketed by China and other Southeast Asian nations, it is a maritime flashpoint area. Multiple governments claim several parts of the sea. But Beijing asserts dominance over most parts of the sea, contrary to the international court ruling about the areas.

In the last two decades, China has occupied many discreet atolls and reefs far from its shoreline across the South China Sea. They have built several installations, including runways and ports.

Scarborough Shoal, sometimes called Bajo de Masinloc, is a small but strategic reef in the Phillippines and Huangyan Island, China. It is a fishing ground 130 miles (200 kilometres) west of Luzon, a source of tension between Manila and Beijing.

The collisions between Philippine vessels and small wooden fishing boats against huge Chinese Coast Guard ships have become more frequent in the area. Manila calls these much larger ships "maritime militia" fishing vessels.

(With inputs from agencies)

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