As groans of disbelief greeted China’s version of the Recto Bank incident, the Philippines has formally called the attention of the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) to the Filipino fishermen’s being “callously abandoned to the elements on the rough seas” by Chinese mariners who rammed and sank their vessel last week. Deputy permanent representative to the IMO Senen Mangalile reported the incident at the 101st session of the IMO maritime safety committee in London on Friday. Mangalile called on UN member-states to put a premium on protecting life at sea in cases of maritime distress, noting the Filipinos’ ordeal after a Chinese vessel rammed and sank their boat at midnight of June 9.

Mateo, J., Macairan, E., Felipe, C. S., & Laude, J. (2019, June 16). Boat sinking reported to IMO. The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 2.