The Philippine Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines reported that an unidentified floating object off the coast of Pag-asa island was found on Sunday.
WESCOM commander Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos said that a team from Naval Station Emilio Liwanag (NSEL) was able to retrieve the object but a Chinese coast guard vessel with bow number 5203 was able to take it from them.
“As the NSEL Team was towing the floating object, they noticed that China Coast Guard vessel with Bow Number 5203 was approaching their location and subsequently blocked their pre-plotted course twice,” Carlos said.
The Chinese Coast Guard then deployed its “Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat” and “forcefully retrieved said floating object by cutting the towing line attached to the NSEL rubber boat.”
The inflatable boat then towed the object towards the Chinese Coast Guard.
The NSEL team then decided to return to Pag-asa island. None of them was reportedly injured but National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea (NTF WPS) was notified of the incident for appropriate action.
