China to the Rescue? Beijing Saves 17 Filipino Crew Members from Capsized Ship
China played the good Samaritan, responding to a Filipino distress signal and rescuing 17 crew members amid its maritime dispute with Manila.
by JV Ordoñez
Published on Jan 24, 2026
Even amid heightened tensions between the regional neighbors, China's military on Friday, January 23, reported that it rescued 17 Filipino crew members of the capsized Singaporean-flagged MV Devon Bay near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.
Of the 21 all-Filipino crew who launched a distress signal at around 1:30 a.m., two died after being rescued, while four remain missing as of press time. The Chinese Embassy in Manila told media in a Viber message that Beijing's Coast Guard joined forces with the Philippine Coast Guard to rescue the crew members.
Fourteen are in stable condition while one remains under emergency medical treatment as of January 23, Friday.
On the PCG's end, it deployed two vessels and two aircraft to save the Filipinos from the capsized cargo ship that was en route to the southern Chinese city of Yangjiang to transport iron ore.
This came just after Tuesday's incident involving China organizing naval and air force units to drive away a Philippine government aircraft that Beijing accused of "illegally intruding" into airspace in the South China Sea.
Both Asian nations have been at odds over persistent sea clashes and air disputes over contested features in the resource-rich waterway that sees about $3 trillion in trade passing through it every year. Manila has failed to enforce its 2016 ruling victory before the United Nations' Permanent Court of Arbitration that ruled China's historical claims based on a 1940s map covering a "nine-dash line" territory had no legal basis under international law.
Besides the two countries, other nations such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam have overlapping claims to parts of the South China Sea.
An "Inconsequential" Good Deed
For security expert and founder of the Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation Chester Cabalza, China's "good Samaritan" act will be inconsequential to managing disputes at sea but was nonetheless a display of "maturity" from the major power even after ongoing maritime tensions.
"Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I think it was done in good faith. I hope this act will lead to the completion of the Code of Conduct. The courtesy of helping fishermen in distress is part of the proposed Code of Conduct," he told Esquire Philippines in an interview.
Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos has been trying to persuade his neighbors like Malaysia and Vietnam to hold talks on a Code of Conduct for behavior in the South China Sea while pursuing a broader regional pact with Beijing.
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chinaSouth China SeaPhilippine Coast GuardMaritime disputesInternational relationsDiplomacy