Damaged and Out of Food, Philippine Cutter Returns From Sabina Shoal
The Philippine Coast Guard has withdrawn the patrol vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua from the lagoon at Sabina Shoal after five months on station, citing the impact of a Chinese blockade and the deteriorating health of several crewmembers on board.
"While committed to her mission at [Sabina] Shoal, BRP Teresa Magbanua was compelled to return to port due to unfavorable weather conditions, depleted supplies of daily necessities, and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care," said PCG spokesman Jay Tarriela. "This has been further complicated by the structural damage to the vessel resulting from the deliberate ramming by the China Coast Guard on August 31, 2024."
This afternoon, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel deliberately rammed and collided with the BRP Teresa Magbanua three times, despite no provocation from the Philippine Coast Guard. pic.twitter.com/jYnrXKpY3W
— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) August 31, 2024
The PCG attempted to resupply the Magbanua in August, but the effort was thwarted by a blockade carried out by more than three dozen Chinese vessels. Without regular supply runs, the stores aboard the cutter began to run low. According to GMA News, the crew had only had rice porridge to eat since late August and had run out of food altogether by September 13. They were also out of fresh water and the crew was beginning to experience dehydration.
Four crewmembers needed to be hospitalized upon return to port, including two who were removed from the ship on stretchers. They were in stable condition but were placed under medical observation for acute gastroenteritis, gout, electrolyte imbalance and heat exhaustion, according to the PCG.
Four Philippine Coastguard personnel from BRP Teresa Magbanua are transported. They are degydrated from lack of supplies due to Chinese blockade @gmanews @24OrasGMA pic.twitter.com/y8p57A4BMh
— Joseph Morong ???????? (@Joseph_Morong) September 15, 2024
The PCG deployed the Magbanua to Sabina Shoal in May after detecting possible signs of small-scale land reclamation on the reef. China has created multiple artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago, using dredging to turn giant coral reefs into sprawling military airfields, harbors and naval stations, and Chinese activity at Sabina Shoal raised concerns in Manila.
Sabina Shoal is within the Philippine exclusive economic zone, but China claims the area as part of its own sovereign territory, even though the reef is 650 nautical miles from the nearest Chinese shores. The Chinese government protested the presence of BRP Teresa Magbanua within the Philippine EEZ as a violation of Chinese sovereignty, and the China Coast Guard deployed the world's largest cutter to anchor and stand guard within visual range of the Magbanua's crew.
The PCG pledged that they will deploy other vessels to take the Magbanua's place in protecting Sabina Shoal.
"Rest assured that your Coast Guard will remain calm. We will be professional in pursuing the very clear directive of the president that we should keep what is ours – peacefully," PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan said.