China fires flares at unarmed PCG aircraft over Kalayaan

Abi Sarabia M., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 11, 2026

Photo courtesy: Philippine Coast Guard

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard said Chinese forces fired multiple flares toward an unarmed PCG aircraft conducting a routine maritime surveillance flight over the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea.

The incident happened on September 7 as the aircraft was carrying out a Maritime Domain Awareness flight and preparing to land on Pag-asa Island, according to the PCG.

PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said the aircraft first received a radio challenge from Chinese forces stationed at Zamora or Subi Reef.

Flares were then fired in the aircraft’s direction, the PCG said.

The same action was later repeated by Chinese forces at Panganiban or Mischief Reef.

In both instances, the PCG aircrew responded over the radio that its flight was a routine and legitimate operation and maintained that China’s presence on the reclaimed features violated international law.

PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said firing flares toward an aircraft in flight posed a threat to aviation safety.

“Flares were fired at an unarmed Coast Guard aircraft. The PCG does not need to characterize this behavior,” Gavan said.

He added that the action disregarded the duty of “due regard” owed to aircraft under the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

During the flight, the PCG also reported observing a significant number of Chinese Maritime Militia vessels inside the lagoons of Subi and Mischief Reefs.

No personnel were seen on the decks of the vessels or on the reclaimed facilities, while no vehicle movement was observed on the artificial islands, according to the Coast Guard.

The PCG cited the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling, which found that Mischief Reef is a low-tide elevation within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf and that China’s construction and reclamation activities there violated Philippine sovereign rights.

China rejects the 2016 arbitral award and continues to assert expansive claims over much of the South China Sea.

The latest incident adds to a series of confrontations involving Philippine and Chinese forces in the disputed waters.

The PCG said it would continue conducting maritime surveillance flights over the West Philippine Sea despite the incident.

“The PCG will continue to conduct MDA flights over the West Philippine Sea undeterred,” Tarriela said, adding that the agency would continue documenting what it described as Chinese aggression and violations of international law.