Suspected Chinese rocket debris retrieved near Subic
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard said their officers and local fishermen retrieved on Saturday suspected debris from a Chinese rocket near Subic, Zambales.
In a statement on Sunday, the Coast Guard said that its Zambales station believed that the debris consisting of metal and plastic that measured two meters long and four meters wide was from a Long March 5B Rocket launched last October 31 from Hainan, China.
The Coast Guard said David Gervacio, captain of Filipino fishing boat Akiyo, reported the sighting of the debris after he spotted a white cylindrical object floating approximately 55 nautical miles west of Subic.
It added that the Philippine Space Agency had warned of falling debris near Bajo de Masinloc and Busuanga, Palawan.
Gervacio and his crew also spotted last November 16 a similar floating object some 38 nautical miles southwest of Bajo de Masinloc but were unable to recover this due to its size and submerged status, the Coast Guard said.
“The PCG continuously reminds coastal barangays and local fishermen that floating debris at sea are navigational hazards and may endanger the safety of vessels and its crew,” it also said.
Last month, debris believed to be from a Chinese rocket was also found in Calintaan, Occidental Mindoro and in Busuanga, Palawan. Debris suspected to be from a Chinese rocket was also found last August off Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro.
The Coast Guard also retrieved what is said to be rocket debris in waters off Pag-asa Island on November 20, but the military said this was “rudely” taken by the Chinese Coast Guard, which was denied by the Chinese Embassy and claimed that it was “returned” to the Beijing after “friendly consultation.”
This was later proven to be false in a video shown by Sen. Francis Tolentino on the Senate floor, which prompted the chamber to express its “disgust” over the incident. — Xave Gregorio
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