Water duel after vessel in Diaoyu blockade
Source: AFP |
00:48 UTC+8 January 25, 2013
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A FISHING boat with Taiwan activists headed for the Diaoyu Islands turned back yesterday after coast guard vessels from Taiwan and Japan converged and dueled with water cannon.
The boat, carrying four activists and three other people, gave up a plan to land on the East China Sea islands after being blocked by Japanese coast guard vessels as it sailed within 17 nautical miles of the archipelago.
Eight Japanese ships obstructed the vessel by making waves and emitting black smoke, and later spraying water toward it. Taiwan's coast guard ships responded with water spray, LED signals and warned the Japanese from obstructing the vessel.
"We fired water cannon at each other," Taiwan's coast guard spokesman Shih Yi-che said of the confrontation.
As the standoff unfolded, three surveillance vessels from Chinese mainland were positioned a few nautical miles off, the Taiwan coast guard said.
It said it had sent a radio message to the three mainland ships to keep their distance in order not to complicate matters.
The Japanese coast guard confirmed it took action after encountering the Taiwan vessel. "Our patrol boat carried out restrictions on the vessel such as blocking its path and discharging water," it said in a statement.
The activists had hoped to place a statue of the Goddess of the Sea on the islands to protect Taiwan fishermen in the area.
Coast guard vessels from Japan and Taiwan exchanged water cannon barrages in September after dozens of Taiwan boats were escorted by patrol ships into the islands' waters.
The boat, carrying four activists and three other people, gave up a plan to land on the East China Sea islands after being blocked by Japanese coast guard vessels as it sailed within 17 nautical miles of the archipelago.
Eight Japanese ships obstructed the vessel by making waves and emitting black smoke, and later spraying water toward it. Taiwan's coast guard ships responded with water spray, LED signals and warned the Japanese from obstructing the vessel.
"We fired water cannon at each other," Taiwan's coast guard spokesman Shih Yi-che said of the confrontation.
As the standoff unfolded, three surveillance vessels from Chinese mainland were positioned a few nautical miles off, the Taiwan coast guard said.
It said it had sent a radio message to the three mainland ships to keep their distance in order not to complicate matters.
The Japanese coast guard confirmed it took action after encountering the Taiwan vessel. "Our patrol boat carried out restrictions on the vessel such as blocking its path and discharging water," it said in a statement.
The activists had hoped to place a statue of the Goddess of the Sea on the islands to protect Taiwan fishermen in the area.
Coast guard vessels from Japan and Taiwan exchanged water cannon barrages in September after dozens of Taiwan boats were escorted by patrol ships into the islands' waters.
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