The sailor was initially aboard the Philippine Navy’s BRP Sierra Madre, which has been grounded on the shoal. On Thursday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel BRP Cabra attempted to approach the shoal to retrieve the patient. Chinese vessels repeatedly blocked the BRP Cabra from getting close to the BRP Sierra Madre, despite being informed that the mission involved a critical medical emergency.
Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela, the PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, stated that Chinese Coast Guard vessel 5306 activated its water cannon and approached the BRP Cabra to within approximately 366 meters. While the water cannon did not directly hit the Philippine vessel, and no damage or injuries were reported among PCG personnel, Tarriela noted that a smaller Chinese boat was also deployed to interfere with the retrieval efforts.
“They never cared about the medical emergency. They never cared about our sick personnel on board BRP Sierra Madre,” Tarriela said in a press briefing on Friday. He indicated that the obstruction prevented the BRP Cabra from docking or transferring the patient efficiently.
The patient was finally transferred to a PCG boat at approximately 3:15 p.m. on Thursday. By 5:00 p.m., he was aboard the BRP Cabra, where a medical officer checked his vital signs and administered intravenous fluids. Tarriela stated that had the Philippine ships not been blocked, the evacuation could have been completed within one to two hours.
On Friday, the sailor was transferred from the BRP Cabra to the Philippine Navy’s BRP Valentin Diaz (PS-177), which docked at Naval Detachment Oyster Bay in Palawan. He was subsequently airlifted via a Philippine Air Force Black Hawk helicopter to Puerto Princesa City, arriving at 9:42 a.m.
Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, confirmed the evacuation in a message to reporters. While the specific diagnosis and the sailor’s current medical condition were deferred to the AFP, initial reports indicated the patient had complained of abdominal pain.
This incident follows a broader pattern of tensions in the area. On September 24, a Philippine resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre was suspended after Chinese vessels blocked and challenged Philippine ships approaching the shoal. The BRP Sierra Madre remains at Ayungin Shoal as a platform for asserting Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, a region where maritime disputes between China and the Philippines have intensified in recent months.
No further official statement from the Chinese authorities regarding the specific details of the obstruction was provided in the available reports. The Philippine military continues to monitor the situation at the shoal, where the BRP Sierra Madre remains stationed.
