Two Filipinos Dead, Four Missing After Cargo Ship Sinks Near Scarborough Shoal

Two Filipino crew members have died and four are missing after a Singapore-flagged cargo ship capsized near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

The vessel, carrying 21 Filipino seafarers, was travelling from the Philippines to Yangjiang in southern China when it overturned about 55 nautical miles from the shoal. Contact was lost on Thursday night.

Chinese authorities said they rescued 15 crew members, with 14 in stable condition and one receiving emergency medical care. They also said additional rescue teams were being sent, and military aircraft were conducting aerial searches over the area.

The Philippine Coast Guard said it had sent two ships and two aircraft to help with the rescue. It reported that 10 crew members had been picked up by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the vessel’s flag state, confirmed the sinking of the bulk carrier Devon Bay. It said it was in contact with the shipowner and rescue authorities and would investigate the incident.

Scarborough Shoal is a disputed area claimed by both China and the Philippines. China has controlled the shoal since 2012 and keeps coast guard and fishing vessels there.

A 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said China’s claims were invalid and declared the shoal a traditional fishing ground for countries including the Philippines and Vietnam. China rejected this ruling.

Tensions in the area are frequent. Earlier this week, China said it mobilised military units to intercept a Philippine government aircraft near Scarborough Shoal.

In August, a Chinese navy ship collided with a Chinese Coast Guard vessel while trying to block a Philippine Coast Guard ship near the shoal.

References: Reuters, PNA

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