CCG ship ‘shadows’ Phl research vessels

A maritime security analyst on Sunday revealed that a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ship allegedly shadowed the Philippine research vessels BRP H Ventura and the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Gabriela Silang en route to Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on Sunday morning.

In his X (formerly Twitter) post, Powell disclosed that the CCG vessel — with bow number 5303 — has been tailing the Philippine vessels heading to Scarborough Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc, for a hydrographic survey operation.

Powell provided authorities digital imagery showing that the CCG vessel deliberately shadowed the Philippine vessel on a trajectory toward the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc.

“All 3 ships are now underway en route to the Philippines’ survey area north of Scarborough Shoal. China Coast Guard 5303 is shadowing the mission,” said Powell.

He also said that the CCG 5303 blocked the path of the BRP H Ventura and its escort BRP Gabriela Silang about 35 nautical miles from the coast of Luzon which is within the limit of China’s nine-dash line in South China Sea.

Powell, a former United States Air Force official and ex-defense attaché, said the CCG vessel was trying to prevent the Philippine vessels from reaching “their assigned hydrographic research area north of Scarborough Shoal.”

The vessels “barely moved” for the past 8 hours on Sunday, he added.

Earlier, the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) issued a maritime advisory that the BRP H Ventura, escorted by BRP Gabriela Silang, will conduct a hydrographic survey north of Scarborough Shoal in the WPS.

According to NAMRIA, the hydrographic survey involves a systematic field measurement of the depths of various points at sea and the geographic positions of positions of these points.

Meantime, Powell urged the Philippines conducting hydrographic surveys in its exclusive economic zone to be vigilant on possible China’s actions against its hydrographic survey mission.