Balloon recovered off coast of Alaska had been in the ocean for ‘well over a year,’ Pentagon says

A balloon recovered off the coast of Alaska had been in the ocean for “well over a year,” the Pentagon said Friday. The balloon was discovered floating in the ocean by commercial fisherman in late-February. The fishermen shared photos of the suspicious object with law enforcement, who were concerned it could be another Chinese spy … Read more

Chinese coast guard blasts Philippine boat with water cannon in disputed sea for 2nd time this month

MANILA, Philippines — Two Chinese coast guard ships fired at a Philippine supply boat with water cannon Saturday in the latest confrontation near a disputed South China Sea shoal, causing heavy damage to the wooden vessel, Philippine officials said. It was not immediately clear if the Philippine navy crew was injured, or whether their damaged … Read more

China coast guard flexes its might against the Philippines in disputed waters as journalists watch

ABOARD BRP SINDANGAN (AP) — It was a heart-pounding moment far out in the disputed South China Sea: One of at least five Chinese coast guard ships aggressively approached and sideswiped a Philippine patrol vessel, creating a loud, jarring noise that sent its Filipino crew scrambling to lower rubber fenders to cushion the boat’s hull. … Read more

The EU’s border agency has a duty to inform Libya’s coast guard about migrant boats, official says

BRUSSELS — The European Union’s border and coast guard agency has a duty to inform Libyan authorities about migrant boats in trouble in the country’s waters and will keep doing so, the head of Frontex insisted Tuesday, after a charity accused Libya’s coast guard of threatening its crew during a rescue. German charity SOS Humanity … Read more

Libya’s coast guard tried to prevent rescue of migrants in the Mediterranean, a German charity says

CAIRO — A German charity has accused the Libyan coast guard of threatening its crew members who were rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, causing at least one migrant to drown. The German charity SOS Humanity, which operates the rescue ship Humanity 1, said the Libyan coast guard used violence and fired live bullets into … Read more

Taiwan Drives Away Chinese Coast Guard Boat as Tensions Rise

Taipei on Tuesday drove away a Chinese coast guard boat in sensitive waters near Taiwan-held territory and protested the boarding of a Taiwanese tourist boat a day earlier, in the latest signs of growing cross-strait tensions. The incidents come less than a week after the Taiwanese coast guard on Feb. 14 pursued Chinese fishermen in … Read more

Taiwan minister says China coast guard triggers panic by boarding Taiwan tourist boat

TAIPEI (Reuters) – The boarding of a Taiwanese tourist boat by China’s coast guard triggered panic among Taiwanese people, a Taiwan minister said on Tuesday, as tensions rise across the sensitive Taiwan Strait. China announced on Sunday that its coast guard would begin regular patrols and set up law enforcement activity around the Taiwan-controlled islands … Read more

China coast guard boarded Taiwanese boat near frontline islands, Taiwan says

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Chinese coast guard personnel briefly boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat near Taiwan-controlled islands next to China’s coast on Monday, the government in Taipei said, in an escalation of tensions after China said it would carry out regular patrols. China announced on Sunday that its coast guard would strengthen law enforcement activity around … Read more

China’s coast guard to ramp up patrols near Taiwan’s Kinmen archipelago after two fishermen die

China is stepping up patrols in the waters off the coast of Taiwan’s Kinmen archipelago, days after two of its fishermen drowned being chased by the Taiwanese coast guard, which accused the boat of trespassing BANGKOK — China is stepping up patrols in the waters off the coast of Taiwan’s Kinmen archipelago, days after two … Read more

China’s Unusual Restraint to Deadly Incident Between Fisherman and Taiwan Coast Guard

Two Chinese fishermen drowned off the coast of Kinmen, a group of islands that sit just six miles from mainland China, after being chased by Taiwanese maritime forces on Wednesday—marking what Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration says is the first of its actions to have caused deaths. But China’s response to the tragedy, which some suggested … Read more