Chinese warships use lasers to target BFAR plane near Hasa-Hasa Shoal

Two Chinese warships followed two vessels from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and used lasers to target a BFAR plane during a maritime patrol near Hasa-Hasa Shoal on Friday, September 27.

One of the missile boats pointed a laser at the BFAR aircraft while ignoring radio challenges issued by pilots Charles Manalo and Alex Garay.

The incident occurred as BRP Datu Romapenet and BRP Datu Matanam Taradapit were en route to Hasa-Hasa Shoal, with a BFAR plane accompanying them and embedded media on board.

This event comes amid ongoing tensions related to China's extensive claims in the South China Sea, which overlap with those of multiple Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines.

In 2016, an international tribunal ruled that China had no legal basis for its claims in the South China Sea, but Beijing has not recognized this decision.