| Disputed atoll | |
|---|---|
 Second Thomas Shoal | |
  Second Thomas Shoal | |
| Other names | Ayungin Shoal (Philippine English) Bãi Cỏ Mây (Vietnamese) Buhanginan ng Ayungin (Filipino) Rén'ài Jiāo 仁爱礁/仁愛礁 (Chinese) |
| Geography | |
| Location | South China Sea |
| Coordinates | 9°44′N 115°52′E / 9.733°N 115.867°E |
| Archipelago | Spratly Islands |
| Administration | |
| Region | Southwestern Tagalog Region |
| Province | Palawan |
| Municipality | Kalayaan |
| Claimed by | |
Second Thomas Shoal, also known as Ayungin Shoal (Filipino: Buhanginan ng Ayungin, lit. 'sandbank of silver perch'), Bãi Cỏ Mây (Vietnamese) and Rén'ài Jiāo (Chinese: 仁爱礁/仁愛礁),[1] is a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea, 105 nautical miles (194 km; 121 mi) west of Palawan, Philippines.[2] It is a disputed territory and claimed by several nations.[3] The reef is occupied by Philippine Navy personnel aboard ship, the BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57), that was intentionally grounded on the reef in 1999 and has been periodically replenished since then.
The atoll is one of three named after Thomas Gilbert, captain of the Charlotte:
Located south-east of Mischief Reef (09°55′N 115°32′E / 9.917°N 115.533°E), Second Thomas Shoal is near the centre of Dangerous Ground in the north-eastern part of the Spratly Islands; there are no settlements north or east of it.[4][5] It is a tear-drop shaped atoll, 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) long north–south[6] and fringed with coral reefs.[7] The coral rim surrounds a lagoon which has depths of up to 27 metres (89 ft) and is accessible to small boats from the east. Drying reef patches are found east and west of the reef rim.
On 12 July 2016, the UNCLOS tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration concluded that Second Thomas Shoal is, or in its natural condition was, exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide and, accordingly, has low-tide elevations that do not generate an entitlement to a territorial sea, exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.[8]
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See also: Spratly Islands dispute and Philippines v. China |
Second Thomas Shoal is claimed by China, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.[9]
The Philippine navy maintains a presence of less than a dozen Marine personnel on the 100 m (330 ft) long Second World War US-built Philippine Navy landing craft Sierra Madre, which was deliberately run aground at the atoll in 1999 in response to the Chinese reclamation of Mischief Reef.[10][11] The Philippines claims that the atoll is part of its continental shelf,[12] while parts of the Spratly group of islands, where Second Thomas Shoal lies, are claimed by China, Brunei, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam. In 2014, the Chinese government asked the Philippines to remove the grounded ship.[13][14]
Philippine supply ships subsequently avoided Chinese blockades in order to deliver food, water and other supplies to the garrison.[15] PRC coast guard vessels blocked two attempts by Philippine ships to resupply the garrison on March 9, 2014. Supplies were airdropped to the garrison three days later. A supply ship with replacement troops successfully reached the atoll on March 29, 2014 by sailing through shallow waters where the PRC vessels, having deeper drafts, were unable to follow.[16] Since then, the Philippine military has been sending relief and provisions by supply boats.[17]
In November 2021, China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels used water cannons and blocked two Philippine supply boats, preventing the boats from delivering essential supplies to the Philippine marine forces stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre.[18] On 6 August 2023, Chinese Coast Guard ships fired water cannon at a Philippine Coast Guard ship resupplying the Sierra Madre.[19] On 22 October 2023, Philippine officials disclosed that Chinese vessels had rammed a Philippine Coast Guard ship and military-run supply boat on 17 October during a replenishment mission to the Sierra Madre.[20]
The Singapore National University Gazetteer (Number 75967),[21] and the US NGA Gazetteer[22] list the following as other names for the Second Thomas Shoal:
