PCG: China Coast Guard delays PH Navy personnel's medical evacuation from Ayungin Shoal

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said the China Coast Guard (CCG) obstructed and delayed the emergency medical evacuation of a Philippine Navy personnel from Ayungin Shoal for nearly 10 hours on Thursday.

In a statement, PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said BRP Cabra was deployed from Lawak Island to evacuate the ailing personnel stationed aboard BRP Sierra Madre.

“On 08 October 2026, the PCG completed the emergency MEDEVAC of a Philippine Navy personnel stationed aboard BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal. CCG vessels obstructed and delayed the mission for nearly ten hours,” he said.

In a separate statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the personnel required immediate medical attention due to a pre-existing medical condition.

AFP’s Western Command coordinated with the PCG and other concerned agencies to facilitate his safe evacuation and transfer to an appropriate medical facility.

“The AFP remains focused on the health, safety, and welfare of its personnel. Every necessary measure is being taken to ensure that the patient receives the medical attention and care he needs at the soonest possible time,” the military said.

GMA News Online has sought comment from the Chinese Embassy in Manila but it has yet to respond as of posting time.

Water cannon

Around 7:30 a.m., Tarriela said BRP Cabra reached a position about nine nautical miles north of Ayungin Shoal when CCG vessel 5306, which had been shadowing the Philippine vessel, activated its water cannon.

The Chinese vessel continued using its water cannon as it approached BRP Cabra, moving from about 1.3 nautical miles away to roughly 400 yards, according to Tarriela.

While BRP Cabra was not hit by the water cannon, Tarriela said the Philippine vessel moved away from the shoal to ensure the safety of its vessel and crew.

The PCG initially proposed a rendezvous point about 2.5 nautical miles northeast of BRP Sierra Madre, but the CCG did not allow the arrangement, according to Tarriela.

“BRP Cabra was held about 13 nautical miles north of the shoal for several hours,” Tarriela said.

At 12:52 p.m., CCG vessel 5306 again radio-challenged BRP Cabra and insisted on a different rendezvous point farther from BRP Sierra Madre.

The PCG said it adjusted its operations to prioritize the patient's welfare.

At 1:46 p.m., BRP Cabra launched a rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB) carrying PCG personnel, a maritime security team member, and Coast Guard medical personnel.

Within a minute, the CCG deployed its own RHIB that shadowed the Philippine boat throughout its 9.2-nautical-mile transit to the rendezvous point.

BRP Sierra Madre also launched two rubber boats toward the meeting point, one of which carried the patient, Tarriela said.

Around 3:15 p.m., the patient and his companion were safely transferred to the PCG RHIB.

During the return trip, CCG vessel 21585 shadowed the Philippine boat at about 500 yards, while CCG vessel 5306 remained about 600 yards off its port quarter.

The PCG RHIB reached BRP Cabra shortly before 5 p.m. without further incident.

A PCG medical officer immediately examined the patient, checked his vital signs, and administered intravenous fluids.

The patient is now stable and being transported to the nearest suitable port for further treatment, according to Tarriela.

Monitored during the operation were CCG vessels 5306, 5009, and 21585, Chinese maritime militia vessel Qiongsanshayu 00119, and People's Liberation Army Navy warship 628.

The PCG said a transfer of this kind would normally take only a few hours but was prolonged by the water cannon incident, the disagreement over the rendezvous point, and the continued shadowing of Philippine vessels.

PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said, "When a life is at stake, there should be no water cannon, no obstruction, and no delay. Saving a sick or injured person at sea is a basic obligation that every coast guard in the world is expected to uphold.

“We call on the China Coast Guard to value and respect humanitarian missions moving forward, and to act in a manner consistent with international law and the professional standards expected of any coast guard.)

BRP Sierra Madre

The BRP Sierra Madre has been grounded at Ayungin Shoal since 1999 and serves as an outpost for Philippine troops in the disputed waters.

The Ayungin Shoal — called Ren’ai Reef by China — is a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands, which is a group of more than 100 islands and reefs in the South China Sea.

It is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is within the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and is part of its continental shelf.

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago, including the Luzon Sea and the waters around, within, and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has refused to recognize the decision. — RSJ, GMA News