The Philippine coast guard said that three Filipino fishermen were wounded and two fishing vessels damaged in an encounter with the China Coast Guard (CCG) close to a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

In a statement on Saturday, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Jay Tarriela claimed that around 20 Filipino fishing boats were targeted with “water cannons and dangerous blocking maneuvers” close to Sabina Shoal by CCG vessels on Friday.

“As a direct result of these aggressive actions, three Filipino fishermen sustained physical injuries, including bruises and open wounds,” Tarriela stated. Two fishing boats also “suffered significant damage from high-pressure water cannon blasts.” A small Chinese coast guard boat also cut the anchor lines of several Filipino boats, a “brazen escalation” that endangered their crews,........

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