China confirms warship stuck in Spratlys

MANILA, Philippines—The Chinese embassy on Friday confirmed that a Chinese warship was stuck in the Spratlys Islands, saying a rescue work by the Chinese Navy was “underway.”

“According to the information we got from the Information Department of the Ministry of National Defense of China, around 7pm of July 11, a frigate of Chinese Navy ran aground accidentally at Half Moon Shoal of Nansha Islands during a routine patrol mission, with no personnel injured,” Zhang Hua, Chinese embassy spokesman, said in an email to reporters.

“Currently the rescue work by the Chinese Navy is underway,” Zhang said.
China refers to the disputed area as Nansha Islands, while the Philippines refers to it as Spratlys Islands. Both countries have competing claims over the area.

Earlier, news broke out that the Sydney Morning Herald, an Australian news website, reported Friday that a warship on Thursday “pinned itself” to a reef in Half Moon Shoal.