The Philippines successfully conducted a medical evacuation from its outpost on the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, South China Sea, despite interference from Chinese Coast Guard vessels. The evacuation, which took place on July 7, involved a sick Navy personnel and faced numerous obstructing and delaying maneuvers by China. China's Coast Guard claimed that they 'allowed' the evacuation on humanitarian grounds from the illegally grounded warship on Ren'ai Jiao, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, but the Philippines dismissed this claim as 'ridiculous.' The incident highlights ongoing tensions between the two nations over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
