FILE PHOTO: The BRP Sierra Madre, a Navy warship that now serves as army outpost, retains watch over Ayungin (Second Thomas), situated throughout the nation’s unique financial zone. Close by are Chinese language coast guard and militia vessels on this shot taken on February 21, 2023, throughout an aerial surveillance by the Philippine Coast Guard. Philippine Every day Inquirer/Niño Jesus Orbeta
MANILA, Philippines — Personnel of the BRP Sierra Madre, a Navy outpost within the West Philippine Sea, acquired their provides by airdropping over the weekend, a senior army official confirmed on Tuesday.
The supply, who spoke to reporters on situation of anonymity, mentioned the airdrop mission carried out by a Philippine Navy Islander maritime patrol plane NV314 was carried out on Sunday at 8:49 am.
In keeping with the supply, the airdropped provides will final for “one to 2 weeks.”
The affirmation was made as leaked pictures of the army’s supposed profitable airdrop mission on the BRP Sierra Madre had been posted on X (previously Twitter) by an unofficial account @ALT_wps on Sunday.
The paradrop was carried out in lieu of the same old sending of provides utilizing ships as one of many boats sustained harm.
READ: Airdrop of provides to BRP Sierra Madre potential, says AFP
This was not the primary time an airdrop was made to ship provisions for the Navy outpost. In 2014, the army evaded a Chinese language sea blockade through the use of an airplane to drop meals to the crew of BRP Sierra Madre.
The Rore mission of the Philippines within the BRP Sierra Madre — a Navy ship grounded in Ayungin Shoal since 1999 — grew to become the flashpoint of rigidity between Manila and Beijing.
In 2023 alone, the China Coast Guard (CCG) resorted to utilization of military-grade laser as soon as and water cannon a minimum of 4 instances in opposition to Philippine vessels in resupply missions within the sand financial institution.
The CCG additionally routinely blocked and carried out what the Philippine authorities deem to be “harmful maneuvers” in opposition to its vessels.
READ: 2023: A lookback at rising rigidity in West PH Sea
Beijing’s actions are primarily based on its assertion of sovereignty in nearly your entire South China Sea, together with a lot of the WPS, however a world tribunal ruling in 2016 successfully dismissed this whereas ruling closely in favor of Manila.