https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/19/philippines-china-clash-south-sea-navy-injuries-coast-guard-second-thomas-shoal-severe-thumb
Filipino sailor lost a thumb when coastguards rammed and boarded boats ‘with knives and spears’ in South China Sea
This is the best summary I could come up with:
One Filipino sailor lost a thumb in the incident, according to the Philippines military, which said Chinese personnel also destroyed communication equipment, seized personal mobile phones and took away unopened cases containing guns.
China has blamed the Philippines for the collision, which happened on Monday, and has said “no direct measures” were taken against Filipino personnel, adding that its coastguards “were professional and restrained”.
The US state department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said on Tuesday that the US condemned the “escalatory and irresponsible actions” by China, saying it “threatens regional peace and stability”.
The Philippines had been attempting a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, second world war era ship, which serves as a military outpost in the shoal’s shallow waters and is a major flashpoint in the region.
The military chief earlier visited a member of the Filipino naval special operations group who lost a thumb in the incident, awarding him with a wounded personnel medal.
There are concerns that as maritime confrontations escalate, there is a growing risk of a miscalculation that could inadvertently provoke conflict that draws in the US, an ally of the Philippines.
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