Philippines red-faced over Chinese vessel collision
![A Filipino oil tanker slammed into a row of shanties in 2009. The country has now apologised for crashing into a Chinese fishing boat. [Reuters]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201110/r842781_7881083.jpg "A Filipino oil tanker slammed into a row of shanties in 2009. The country has now apologised for crashing into a Chinese fishing boat. [Reuters]")
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A Filipino oil tanker slammed into a row of shanties in 2009. The country has now apologised for crashing into a Chinese fishing boat. [Reuters]
Shirley Escalante, Manila correspondent
Last Updated:
The Philippines has apologised to China after its navy ship rammed a Chinese vessel in a Philippine-claimed territory in the disputed Spratley Islands in the South China Sea.
Filipino Defense spokesman Zosimo Paredes says the Navy sent an incident information report to the Chinese Embassy in Manila, saying the incident was unfortunate and unintentional.
The report said the Chinese vessel suffered from minor damage and there were no casualties.
The navy ship was approaching the Chinese fishing vessel - which was towing 35 small boats in the Reed Bank - when the ship's rudder malfunctioned and the ship rammed the Chinese boat.
The Chinese Embassy has yet to comment on the incident.
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