Fishermen caught a Chinese underwater drone in the central territorial waters of the Philippines that could map the seabed.

The Inquirer reported on this, citing local police investigating the incident.

The underwater unmanned aerial vehicle was discovered on December 30, 2024, nine kilometers off the coast of San Pascual in Masbate province, an island province located in the central part of the archipelago country.

The yellow-painted drone has an elongated cylindrical body shape with a length of 359 cm and a diameter of 79.2 cm. It is marked “HY-119” and “HY-L0119” on the board.

“Based on our open-source research on the internet… HY-119 refers to a Chinese underwater navigation and communication system,” Dizon said. “It has an antenna and an eye that can be used for viewing. Based on our research, this can be used for monitoring and reconnaissance.”

According to him, the drone’s applications may include communications, underwater surveillance, oceanographic research, and maritime operations.

It is not yet known whether the found drone had been operating at the time it had been caught by the fishermen, nor the reasons why it had ended up in the country’s territorial waters.

Previously, similar devices were found under similar conditions in Philippine waters in 2019 and 2020. Visually, they are similar to the Chinese Sea Wing research drone.

It is equipped with a system of sensors, including acoustic sensors, which can also be used to monitor ocean space for military purposes.

Naval “battles” in the South China Sea

Recently, the situation in the region has deteriorated significantly due to a series of incidents between the Coast Guard Forces of both countries, accompanied by provocations and aggression.

Last year, Chinese ships rammed Philippine Coast Guard vessels several times in disputed waters near Sabina Shoal, causing serious damage to Philippine ships. In particular, as a result of the incident on August 19, the BRP Bagacay patrol ship sustained holes in its side above the waterline.

The last such incident occurred on August 31, when a Chinese Coast Guard ship with the ship’s number 5205 deliberately collided with the BRP Teresa Magbanua.

The Chinese aggression is a manifestation of a policy based on the country’s self-proclaimed ownership of 80% of the entire South China Sea. In 2016, the Hague Arbitration Court rejected China’s claims to these territories, but Beijing did not recognize this decision.