Filipino crew head home after China Coast Guard rescue near Scarborough Shoal

A Singapore-flagged cargo vessel, the Devon Bay, capsized in the disputed South China Sea on Friday, January 23, 2026, resulting in the deaths of at least two Filipino sailors. The vessel, carrying 21 Filipino crew members, sank approximately 100 kilometers northwest of Scarborough Shoal while en route to Guangdong province in China. Chinese and Philippine coastguards deployed vessels and aircraft to assist in rescue operations. Chinese rescuers recovered 17 sailors, including the deceased, while four remain missing. The Maritime ​and Port Authority of Singapore is in contact with the ship owner and relevant authorities and will investigate the incident.

The Chinese coastguard rescued 17 Filipino sailors from a Singaporean-flagged cargo ship that capsized near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on Friday. The Maritime Search and Rescue Centre in Sansha, Hainan province, received a distress report early Friday morning and dispatched two coastguard vessels to the location, approximately 55 nautical miles northwest of Scarborough Shoal. While 17 of the 21 Filipino crew members were recovered, two were confirmed dead, one was in critical condition, and four remained missing. The Southern Command Theatre of the People’s Liberation Army deployed a military aircraft to assist in the ongoing search-and-rescue efforts.