Deliberate Ramming Near Abad Santos Shoal Draws Strong Condemnation from US and Canada

Article by F. Palafox

Published on September 20, 2026 04:00PM

MANILA, Philippines — The United States and Canada have firmly backed the Philippines’ account of Friday’s incident in the West Philippine Sea, calling the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) collision with a Philippine fisheries vessel a “deliberate ramming” that endangered civilian crew members on a humanitarian mission. ¹ ² ³

What happened near Abad Santos Shoal

Around 11:13 a.m. on Friday, September 18, 2026, the CCG vessel 21585 struck the starboard side of the BRP Datu Magat Salamat, a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship, about 54 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan and just north-northwest of Abad Santos (Bombay) Shoal, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). The BFAR vessel was en route to deliver subsidized fuel to Filipino fisherfolk when the contact occurred, forcing it to cut short its mission. ³ ⁴ ⁵ ⁷ ⁹

The PCG said the Chinese ship shadowed the Datu Magat Salamat, executed repeated close maneuvers, and then made contact, damaging the vessel’s main railings, metal stanchions and supports, deck fixtures, and other structures. No Coast Guard or BFAR personnel were injured, but the damage was significant enough to require the ship to return to port for seaworthiness assessment. ³ ⁶ ⁸ ⁹

Manila’s position: “Intentional ramming,” not a collision

Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, stressed that the incident was not an accidental collision. “It was an intentional ramming done by the CCG-21585,” Tarriela said, adding that this was “the closest ever that China Coast Guard did this intentional ramming and disregarded the safety of our personnel.” ⁴ ⁹

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) condemned the act as “illegal and aggressive,” saying there was “no justification” for the CCG vessel to undertake such actions against a Philippine civilian law enforcement ship engaged in routine humanitarian work. “The Philippines emphasizes that the BFAR vessel was merely conducting routine and lawful humanitarian activities to support Filipino fisherfolk in the West Philippine Sea,” the DFA said. ¹⁰ ¹¹

The National Maritime Council (NMC) expressed “serious concern” that the CCG’s “illegal, coercive, aggressive and dangerous actions” placed the civilian crew of the Datu Magat Salamat at unnecessary risk while it carried out a legitimate livelihood-support mission. ¹²

US and Canada echo Manila’s account

US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton posted on X (formerly Twitter): “We STRONGLY CONDEMN the China Coast Guard’s DELIBERATE RAMMING of the Philippine BFAR vessel near Bombay Shoal, just 54 [nautical miles] off the coast of Palawan.” He also commended the “sustained professionalism” of the Philippine crew in the face of what he called a “dangerous, destabilizing act.” ¹ ² ³

The Canadian Embassy in Manila said on Facebook: “Canada is concerned by the Chinese Coast Guard deliberately ramming into a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources fisheries enforcement vessel off the coast of the Philippines.” “These dangerous maneuvers jeopardize regional peace and stability,” it added. ¹ ² ³

The European Union also voiced concern over the incident, joining Washington and Ottawa in highlighting the risks posed by such confrontations to civilian crews and regional stability. ¹ ¹³

Beijing’s counter-narrative

China Coast Guard spokesperson Jiang Lue claimed the Philippine vessel ignored repeated warnings and deliberately changed course, accelerating across the bow of the Chinese ship, and said the Philippine side was responsible for the incident. This account was rejected by Philippine officials, who maintained that the BFAR vessel was on a lawful mission and did not provoke the contact. ¹⁰ ¹¹

Why this incident matters

• Proximity to Philippine shores: At only 54 nautical miles from Palawan, this is the closest recorded intentional ramming by the CCG to the Philippine coast, raising heightened security and safety concerns. ³ ⁴

  
  

• Civilian humanitarian mission: The Datu Magat Salamat was not on a military or law enforcement patrol but on a fuel-subsidy run for fisherfolk, underscoring the potential impact on livelihoods and food security. ⁶ ⁷ ⁸

  
  

• International backing: The swift, explicit support from the US, Canada, and the EU reinforces Manila’s narrative and adds diplomatic weight to its calls for restraint and accountability. ¹ ² ³

What comes next

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) called on China to “cease its unlawful acts that endanger life at sea,” warning that repeated hazardous maneuvers against civilian vessels cannot be tolerated. The PCG and AFP are expected to intensify monitoring and patrols in the area, while the DFA may pursue further diplomatic protests and coordinate with partners on a unified response. ⁴ ¹⁰ ¹⁴

For Filipino fisherfolk, the incident is a stark reminder that even routine livelihood missions in the West Philippine Sea can be interrupted by aggressive actions, making the call for safer, rules-based behavior at sea not just a diplomatic issue, but a matter of daily survival. ¹¹ ¹²

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Notes:

¹ Philippine News Agency (PNA). US, Canada, EU concerned over latest CCG action vs PH vessel https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1284409

² Inquirer.net. US, Canada slam ‘deliberate ramming’ by Chinese vessel https://www.inquirer.net/490150/us-canada-slam-deliberate-ramming-by-chinese-vessel/

³ Tribune. Global powers condemn China ramming Phl vessel https://tribune.net.ph/2026/09/19/global-powers-condemn-china-ramming-phl-vessel

⁴ Inquirer.net. PCG: China’s ‘ramming’ of BFAR boat closest to PH coast ever https://www.inquirer.net/490080/pcg-chinas-ramming-of-bfar-boat-closest-to-ph-coast-ever/

⁵ Inquirer.net. PCG: China Coast Guard ship rams BFAR vessel off Palawan https://www.inquirer.net/490012/pcg-china-coast-guard-ship-rams-bfar-vessel-off-palawan/

⁶ Rappler. ‘Intentional ramming’: China Coast Guard damages Philippine ship in West PH Sea https://www.rappler.com/philippines/china-coast-guard-ramming-bfar-ship-datu-magat-salamat/

⁷ Canadian Inquirer. US, Canada, EU voice concern after BFAR-China Coast Guard collision off Palawan https://canadianinquirer.net/2026/09/20/us-canada-eu-voice-concern-after-bfar-china-coast-guard-collision-off-palawan

⁸ Asia One. China vessel rams and damages Philippine boat on refuelling mission, coast guard says https://www.asiaone.com/china/china-vessel-rams-and-damages-philippine-boat-refuelling-mission-coast-guard-says

⁹ The Philippine Star. BFAR vessel hit by China Coast Guard ship. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/09/19/2557305/bfar-vessel-hit-china-coast-guard-ship

¹⁰ The Philippine Star. No justification for China Coast Guard to ram BFAR vessel ... https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/09/19/2557387/no-justification-china-coast-guard-ram-bfar-vessel-dfa

¹¹ The Philippine Star. 'No justification for China's ship ramming' | Philstar.com https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/09/20/2557542/no-justification-chinas-ship-ramming

¹² GMA News. NMC says China Coast Guard placed civilian lives at risk ... https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/1002920/nmc-says-china-coast-guard-placed-civilian-lives-at-risk-when-it-rammed-bfar-vessel/story

¹³ Tribune. Global powers condemn China ramming Phl vessel https://tribune.net.ph/amp/story/2026/09/19/global-powers-condemn-china-ramming-phl-vessel

¹⁴ Inquirer.net. Task force for WPS tells China: Stop dangerous, unlawful acts at sea https://www.inquirer.net/490075/task-force-for-wps-tells-china-stop-dangerous-unlawful-acts-at-sea

¹⁵ Rappler. ‘Intentional ramming’: China Coast Guard damages Philippine ship in West PH Sea A Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel sustains damage to its metal stanchions and supports, deck fixtures and equipment, and main railings, after being ramme https://www.facebook.com/rapplerdotcom/videos/intentional-ramming-china-coast-guard-damages-philippine-ship-in-west-ph-seaa-bu/1897908941574019