An unidentified Chinese vessel struck a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship with a “high-intensity laser” in the West Philippine Sea last week. The incident happened past 8 p.m. on Dec. 2 in the vicinity of Hasa-Hasa (Half Moon) Shoal, a feature located just about 111 kilometers (60 nautical miles) off Palawan, while the BRP Datu Tamblot was en route to Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, according to a government report. The Chinese ship used the laser at BRP Datu Tamblot from the shoal’s east direction six times at an interval of five minutes.

Mangosing, F., & Bautista, J. (2024, December 10). Chinese vessel hits BFAR ship with laser 6 times. Panay News, pp. 9, 15.