MANILA, Philippines – Over 46 Chinese government vessels have been deployed at the vicinity of Panatag Shoal, also called Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, a feature just 120 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales province in the West Philippine Sea.
At least 19 of those vessels were in the immediate area of the shoal, traditional fishing grounds for several countries and a flashpoint for Philippine-China tensions.
That’s a mind numbing amount of vessels deployed as a civilian mission – composed of several wooden-hulled fishing ships and 100 much smaller fishing bangkas – tries to make its way to the shoal.
Rappler joined a Philippine Coast Guard aerial patrol on May 15, just as the civilian convoy started sailing towards Panatag Shoal. Bea Cupin files this report….