China says it rescued Philippine crew from cargo ship near Scarborough Shoal

The Chinese Coast Guard announced on Friday that it sent two ships to rescue 21 crew members from a cargo vessel that sank near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. They reported that the incident occurred at 1:34 am on Friday. So far, 13 individuals have been rescued, and search efforts are still ongoing. The statement did not reveal the name of the ship's owner. The Philippine embassy in Beijing has not yet responded to requests for comments sent via email. Scarborough Shoal is a highly disputed area in Asia and often a source of tension over issues of sovereignty and fishing rights. Earlier this week, the Chinese military claimed it organized naval and air forces to intercept a Philippine government plane that it accused of "illegally intruding" into the airspace above the atoll. China asserts that it controls nearly the entire South China Sea, which overlaps with the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.