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Philippines says Chinese ship 'rammed' government vessel in South China Sea

On Friday, September 18, 2026, a China Coast Guard vessel rammed the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ship BRP Datu Magat Salamat in the West Philippine Sea, 54 nautical miles off Palawan.
Tasked with delivering fuel subsidies to Filipino fishermen, the BFAR vessel was operating in the area following a Thursday grounding at Hasa-Hasa Shoal when China Coast Guard vessel CCG-21585 approached.
Collision at 11:13 a.m. bent, broke, and detached starboard-side railings and deformed metal structures on the BFAR vessel. Philippine Coast Guard video showed crew members shouting 'brace for impact!' moments before impact.
Contesting the account, the China Coast Guard claimed the Philippine vessel 'disregarded repeated solemn warnings, deliberately altered its course and suddenly accelerated to cut across the bow of our vessel,' placing blame on the Philippine side.
Located well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, the incident underscores Beijing's ongoing sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, which the 2016 Arbitral Award found had no legal basis.

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93 Articles

Chinese Coast Guard Ship Rams Into Philippine Govt Vessel In The South China Sea

The Philippine Coast Guard blamed China for risky manoeuvres in the high seas and for deliberately striking the BRP Datu Magat Salamat.

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NHK World

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Philippines, China accuse each other over collision at sea

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Internewscast

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China Coast Guard Rams Philippine Boat During Resupply Mission

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New York Post

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19 hours ago·New York, United States

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La Vanguardia

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Sea Tension: Philippines Denounces Chinese Onslaught

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19 hours ago·Barcelona, Spain

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topwar.ru

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It's in Bulk: a Collision Between Chinese and Philippine Ships Is Shown

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20 hours ago

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