Chinese ‘research’ ship spotted off Samar

The Philippine Coast Guard on Monday said it spotted the Chinese-flagged research vessel Shen Kuo 78 nautical miles northeast off Mapanas in Northern Samar.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson on the West Philippine Sea, said the ship was first spotted by a Nomad N-22 aircraft as it loitered in the northeast vicinity of Viga, Catanduanes.

Tarriela said the PCG monitored the research vessel’s movements through the Coast Guard’s automatic identification system.

“According to the information gathered, the vessel departed from Shenzhen Port on 13 April and passed through Itbayat and Basco, Batanes on 22 April,” he said.

Tarriela said the vessel then proceeded southwards, coming to within 11 nautical miles of the coast of Mapanas on 25 April.

After that, he said, the vessel traveled north again until it reached the waters off Catanduanes where it was sighted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines during a maritime patrol.

It was then considered by the AFP to be a “vehicle of interest” as it continued to loiter approximately 90 nautical miles off Baras, Catanduanes.