Both China and the Philippines have accused each other of causing the incident. Tensions between the two nations have escalated recently, with frequent confrontations in this strategic waterway, including around a warship that Manila intentionally grounded on the contested Second Thomas Shoal, which hosts a military garrison.
China Coast Guard spokesperson Geng Yu claimed that a Philippine vessel “deliberately collided” with a Chinese ship early on Monday. He alleged that Philippine coast guard vessels had “illegally entered” the waters near the Xianbin Reef in the Nansha Islands—Chinese names for the Sabina Shoal and the Spratly Islands.
In response, Manila’s National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea reported that two Philippine coast guard ships sustained damage from collisions with Chinese vessels engaged in “unlawful and aggressive maneuvers” near the Sabina Shoal. Manila stated that the confrontation resulted in structural damage to both of its coast guard vessels.