According to Philippine media Philippine Daily Inquirer, Chinese Coast Guard vessel 3104 on Monday accidentally collided with the PLA Navy Type 051D destroyer "Guilin" while pursuing a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel near Scarborough Shoal. The Philippine Coast Guard immediately provided assistance.
Jay Tarriela, spokesperson for the PCG West Philippine Sea command, stated that the incident occurred about 10.5 nautical miles east of Scarborough Shoal and involved PLA Navy vessel number 164 and Chinese Coast Guard vessel 3104.
At the time, the Chinese Coast Guard 3104 vessel was pursuing the Philippine Coast Guard patrol ship "Suluan."
The Philippine Coast Guard said in a statement that the Chinese Coast Guard 3104 vessel made a dangerous high-speed maneuver, cutting across the starboard side of the Philippine "Suluan" patrol ship, causing it to collide with the PLA Navy warship. "The collision caused severe damage to the bow of the Chinese Coast Guard vessel, rendering it unable to continue navigating."
Jay Tarriela said that after the collision, the Pacific Coast Guard immediately provided support, including assisting in rescuing personnel who fell overboard and providing medical assistance to the injured Chinese Coast Guard personnel.
Reportedly, at the time of the incident, the Philippine Coast Guard was escorting vessels delivering water and supplies to Filipino fishermen. The Chinese Coast Guard at one point attacked the Philippine vessels with water cannons, but the Philippine side successfully evaded.
At around 1 p.m. on Monday, the China Coast Guard issued a press statement under spokesperson Gan Yu, stating: "On August 11, the Philippines organized several coast guard and government vessels, under the pretext of supplying fishing boats, and insisted on intruding into the waters near China's Huangyan Island, despite China's repeated dissuasions and warnings."
The press statement said: "The China Coast Guard, in accordance with the law, tracked, blocked, and managed the Philippine vessels to drive them away. On-site operations were professional, standardized, legitimate and lawful. Huangyan Island is China’s inherent territory. The China Coast Guard will continue to uphold law enforcement activities to protect rights and resolutely safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the waters of Huangyan Island."
The China Coast Guard’s press statement made no mention of the collision reported by Philippine media. As of press time, China’s Ministry of National Defense and PLA Southern Theater Command have not commented. Scarborough Shoal is one of the hotspots in the South China Sea sovereignty dispute between China and the Philippines.