Philippines says fishermen injured in China Coast Guard encounter

Manila: Three Filipino fishermen were injured when China Coast Guard vessels sprayed their boats with water cannons and cut their anchor lines in a di...

Manila: Three Filipino fishermen were injured when China Coast Guard vessels sprayed their boats with water cannons and cut their anchor lines in a disputed area of the South China Sea, Philippine authorities said Saturday.

Beijing said Friday it had taken "necessary control measures" involving about 20 Philippine fishing boats near the flashpoint Sabina Shoal, a fish-rich area about 150 kilometres (93 miles) from the island of Palawan.

It was the latest in a series of escalating confrontations between Chinese and Philippine ships in the contested waterway, which Beijing claims nearly in its entirety despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

The fishermen were "were targeted with water cannons and dangerous blocking maneuvers", a Philippine coast guard spokesman said in a statement Saturday.

"Three fishermen sustained physical injuries, including bruises and open wounds. Two (Filipino fishing boats) also suffered significant damage from high-pressure water cannon blasts," Commodore Jay Tarriela said.