Three Chinese coast guard boats fired water cannons at two Philippine navy supply ships and escort ships on Saturday and allegedly intentionally rammed one, causing extensive damage to the ship’s engine, NBC News reports. The incident happened in an area of the South China Sea where China had made maritime claims based on new man-made islands they constructed in the region, versus a marooned Philippine naval vessel in a shoal that serves as an outpost.
The supply ships were on a mission to provide food, medicine and other supplies to the Filipino forces stationed on the marooned vessel. The Philippine coast guard released photos of two Chinese vessels close to the Philippine coast guard’s BRP Cabra and an unspecified supply ship firing their water cannons at crew stations.