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Philippines and China give conflicting accounts of medical evacuation
China and the Philippines are disputing what happened during a mission to evacuate a Philippine military personnel member from waters near Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.
The Philippine Coast Guard said Chinese coast guard vessels used water cannons during the operation, delaying the evacuation by nearly 10 hours. Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela said the water spray appeared intended to block the approach of Philippine vessels, although he said the water did not directly hit the Philippine ship.
The injured personnel was transported by rubber boat from a point about 24 kilometers away. Philippine authorities said the service member was in stable condition after the transfer. Tarriela criticized the use of water cannons during what he described as a humanitarian mission.
Beijing says evacuation was allowed and supported
China's coast guard gave a different account, saying it allowed the evacuation on humanitarian grounds and provided necessary assistance under relevant laws and regulations.
China Coast Guard spokesperson Zhang Yue said a Philippine Coast Guard vessel transferred an injured person from a grounded ship near Ren'ai Jiao, China's name for the disputed feature. He accused the Philippines of ignoring facts and misleading public opinion.
The two sides also used different descriptions of the person being moved. Philippine officials referred to the individual as a soldier needing medical treatment, while China's statement described the person as injured.
Disputed shoal remains a flashpoint
The evacuation involved personnel stationed on a Philippine military ship that has been grounded at Second Thomas Shoal, known as Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines and Ren'ai Jiao in China. The feature is located in a contested area of the South China Sea claimed by both countries.
The incident follows another confrontation in July, when China Coast Guard vessels used water cannons against Philippine government ships delivering food and fuel to Filipino fishermen near Scarborough Shoal, another disputed area known by China as Huangyan Dao and by the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc.
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