Chinese vessel hinders PCG response in recovering fisher’s body

RECOVERED. The body of a fisher recovered during a distress call on Monday (Jan. 27, 2025). Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said a China Coast Guard vessel continued to shadow the BRP Cabra while it was trying to respond to the distress call. (PCG photo via Jay Tarriela @jaytaryela/X)

By Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel hindered its ship BRP Cabra in responding to a distress call from Filipino fishers off Zambales province.

In a post over X (Twitter) Monday evening, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela said the BRP Cabra was monitoring illegal CCG presence when it received the distress call.

He said one of the fishers, whose boat was located about 70 nautical miles of Silanguin Island in Zambales, had died.

“Unfortunately, the team discovered that the fisherman had no pulse and was already deceased. To transport the body of the fisherman back to Subic, Zambales, BRP Cabra bravely navigated through the heavy waves to retrieve the deceased using its crane,” Tarriela said.

Tarriela added that while PCG personnel were responding to the distress call, the CCG vessel CCG-3304 was still engaged in shadowing, hindering their recovery of the body.

As of 7 p.m. Monday, another PCG vessel, the BRP Teresa Magbanua was en route to patrol the area where there is illegal presence of the CCG.

“This follows the commendable efforts of BRP Cabra over the past few days in pushing CCG vessels further from the coast,” Tarreila said.

“Despite facing wave heights of 3 to 4 meters, the PCG vessels will continue to operate courageously while standing firm against the illegal deployment of Chinese Coast Guard vessels off the coast of Zambales.”