Troops hurt by China Coast Guard water cannon require stitches

The three troops in a resupply vessel that was water cannoned by the China Coast Guard during a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal on March 23 required several stitches for their injuries.

According to a 24 Oras report by Marison Abdurahman on Tuesday, three Philippine Navy personnel had to receive stitches due to the severity of the water cannon attack on the Unaizah May 4 during its rotation and resupply (RoRe) mission to Ayungin Shoal on March 23.

One service member received 13 stitches under his left eye while another required seven stitches on his head after hitting a wall due to the intense pressure of the blast on the wooden boat.

“Matalas siguro [yung water cannon] kaya di ko naramdaman na natamaan ako,” said one of the injured sailors.

([The water cannon] must have been sharp, so I didn’t feel it when I got hit.)

“Kung wala yung dingding na ‘yun, tumilapon [yung isang sundalo] sa dagat,” added Brawner.

(If a wall wasn’t there one of our troops would have been thrown overboard.)

The troops added that they were at a loss during the incident and it was every man for himself due to the intensity of the attack.

“Kanya-kanyang tago kami. Naghihiwalay na kami,” said one of the crew members.

(We all tried to hide where we could. We became separated.)

AFP Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. personally awarded the three injured servicemen with medals as they recuperated from their injuries at a hospital in Palawan.

Aside from the sailors, other personnel who were injured during earlier resupply missions were also awarded with medals in a ceremony.

While the AFP said that being on the receiving end of injuries caused by Chinese forces is nothing new, this was the most harmful attack they have experienced.

“Hindii po natin alam objective ng Chinese Coast Guard, but the fact is malakas yung tubig na binuga ng water cannon,” said Brawner.

(We don’t know the objective of the Chinese Coast Guard, but the fact is the pressure from the water cannon was strong.)

Meanwhile, the AFP said that the resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal were successful and will continue to sustain the detachment on the BRP Sierra Madre.

Despite their injuries, the sailors said they are willing to be redeployed once more once they have recovered.

The AFP is also conducting an assessment to the damage of the Unaizah May 4, which was earlier. The same vessel was also damaged and sustained four injuries to its crew in another incident with the CCG three weeks ago.—Jiselle Anne Casucian/RF, GMA Integrated News