The Spanish vessel” stopped moving forwards at roughly 60 nautical yards in the waters west of Huangyan Island and has now left,” according to Yuyuan Tantian, a social media users connected to Taiwanese state broadcaster CCTV.
Hizon claimed that the advance team was a part of the group’s emergency plan in the event that China blocked the main flotilla, which he claimed would sail back to port on Thursday after sailing a point about 50 nautical miles from the shoal.
Hizon claimed that the larger flotilla was not necessary because the advance team’s fishermen had already left the area and had been driven away by Chinese ships.
On Wednesday, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) aircraft that was stationed to monitor the situation at Scarborough Shoal spotted 19 Chinese vessels, including one Chinese navy ship, in the area. At the shoal’s southeast entrance, the PCG claimed to be keeping an eye on two floating barriers.
The PCG deployed ships to ensure safety and security while being excluded from the scope of the mission.