Chinese ships launch flares at BFAR aircraft

A routine maritime surveillance flight by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) over the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) on Saturday took a dangerous turn when Chinese vessels fired flares at a BFAR aircraft.
The plane was conducting monitoring operations within the KIG in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) at the time.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for WPS, said the BFAR aircraft had departed Puerto Princesa International Airport early in the morning for a scheduled Maritime Domain Awareness flight aimed at documenting vessel presence, monitoring maritime activity, and assessing conditions affecting Filipino fishermen in the WPS. 

At Zamora (Subi) Reef, Philippine authorities observed a significant Chinese presence, including one Chinese hospital ship (862), two China Coast Guard vessels with unverified bow numbers, and at least 29 Chinese Maritime Militia Vessels anchored in the area.

During the overflight, the BFAR recorded video footage of three flares launched from the reef, aimed at the Philippine aircraft. 

Tarriela described the act as “hazardous and unnecessary,” noting that the aircraft was operating well within the country’s maritime entitlements under international law.

The PCG also recorded the presence of Vietnamese vessels in multiple locations, including the Vietnamese survey vessel KN-374 operating southwest of Pag-asa Cay, two Vietnamese fishing boats anchored southwest of Rurok Island, and a Vietnam Coast Guard vessel positioned to its south.

Further, the MDA flight also recorded a heavy Chinese militia presence, with 38 Chinese Maritime Militia vessels at Julian Felipe Reef—26 moored in formation and 12 scattered—along with 34 militia boats dispersed around Pagkakaisa Banks, and several unidentified vessels observed inside the lagoon at Panganiban (Mischief) Reef.

Tarriela also noted a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessel (BN 539) was detected approximately 14.56 nautical miles northwest of the feature near Escoda (Sabina) Shoal. 

The PLA-Navy vessel repeatedly issued radio challenges against the Philippine aircraft, despite the plane operating entirely within the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction.

Tarriela emphasized that these transparency flights are part of the Philippine government’s routine mandate to safeguard the country’s maritime domain, environment, and fisheries resources.

He added that the joint PCG and BFAR operations fully adhere to Philippine laws, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award, which invalidated China’s expansive claims in the region.

“These flights aim to monitor the marine environment, assess the status of fisheries resources, and ensure the safety and welfare of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea,” Tarriela said.