Maritime Awareness Project: Incident Timeline

January 4, 2020: Korea Coast Guard Seizes Chinese Trawler for Illegal Fishing

On January 4, 2020, the Korea Coast Guard seized a Chinese boat for illegally fishing in South Korean waters. The 15-ton wooden-hull boat and its seven crewmembers were taken into custody near Yeonpyeong Island...

November 23, 2019: North Korea Conducts Artillery Drills from Changrin Islet

On November 23, 2019, North Korea conducted artillery drills from coastal batteries on Changrin Islet, just north of the Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea (known as the West Sea in Korea). The drills...

September 4, 2019: ROK Defense Minister Confirms North Korean Military Presence on Hambak Island

On September 4, 2019, the ROK minister of defense confirmed that North Korean troops were deployed on Hambak Island near the western Northern Limit Line (NLL). Since May 2017, North Korea has installed radar...

June 12, 2019: North Korean Fishing Boat Enters South Korean Civilian Port Undetected

On June 12, 2019, a four-person North Korean fishing boat crossed the eastern Northern Limit Line (NLL) undetected for 57 hours, eventually docking at Samcheok, South Korea on June 15. Samcheok is located...

September 30, 2018: USS Decatur FONOP and Near Collision with Chinese Warship

On September 30, 2018, the USS Decatur, a guided-missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson Reefs, Spratly Island formations controlled by China in the South China Sea...

May 28-30, 2018: French Navy Exercises High-Seas Freedoms Near Mischief, Subi, and Fiery Cross Reefs

From May 28 to May 30, 2018, the FNS Dixmude (L9015), a Mistral-class French amphibious assault ship, accompanied by the FNS Surcouf (F7111), a French Lafayette-class guided-missile frigate transited through the vicinity of...

May 27, 2018: Paracel Island FONOP

On May 27, 2018, the USS Antietam and USS Higgins--a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser and Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, respectively--sailed within 12 nautical miles (nm) of the Paracel Island group in the South China Sea...

March 23, 2018: USS Mustin Mischief Reef FONOP

On March 23, 2018, the USS Mustin, a U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, within 12 nautical miles (nm) of Mischief Reef. Notably, this freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) carried out ...

January 17, 2018: USS Hopper Scarborough Shoal FONOP

On January 17, 2018, the USS Hopper, a U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles (nm) of Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. A Chinese PLA Navy missile destroyer ...

December 19, 2017: South Korea's Coast Guard Breaks Up Rush of Chinese Fishing Vessels

On December 19, 2017, a Korea Coast Guard patrol ship seeking to expel a Chinese fishing fleet operating illegally in South Korea's EEZ in the Yellow Sea (known as the West Sea in Korea) was ...

October 10, 2017: USS Chafee Paracel Islands FONOP

On October 10, 2017, the USS Chafee, a U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, sailed near the Paracel Islands, challenging "excessive maritime claims." Specifically, the path of the Chafee ...

September 23, 2017: Shooting Deaths of Two Vietnamese Fishermen

On September 23, 2017, a Philippine Navy patrol boat and six Vietnamese fishing vessels were involved in a clash within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) claimed by the Philippines that left two Vietnamese fishermen dead ...

August 10, 2017: USS John S. McCain Mischief Reef FONOP

On August 10, 2017, the USS John S. McCain, a U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical mile (nm) of Mischief Reef, located within the Spratly Island archipelago. This was ...

July 24, 2017: EP-3 Intercept in the East China Sea

On July 24, 2017, two Chinese J-10 fighter jets intercepted a U.S. Navy EP-3 surveillance plane in international airspace over the East China Sea. A Pentagon spokesperson said the Chinese ...

July 2, 2017: Triton Island FONOP

On July 2, 2017, the USS Stethem, a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nm of Triton Island, part of the China-controlled Paracel Islands group in the South China ...

**May 24, 2017: USS Dewey Conducts FONOP Near Mischief Reef**

On May 24, 2017, the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Dewey sailed within 12 nm of Mischief Reef, a reef occupied by China in the Spratly Islands that is approximately 135 nm west of ...

May 21, 2017: Indonesia-Vietnam Coast Guard Clash

On May 21, 2017, a patrol commanded by the Indonesian Directorate General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Surveillance (PSDKP), a civilian agency tasked with supervision and management of maritime resources ...

December 15, 2016: Chinese Navy Vessel Seizes U.S. Undersea Glider

On December 15, 2016, a Chinese Navy Dalang III-Class submarine rescue vessel seized an undersea drone glider operated by the U.S. Navy in international waters in the South China Sea ...

October 21, 2016: Triton and Woody Islands Freedom of Navigation Operation

On October 21, 2016, the U.S. Navy conducted a freedom of navigation operation near Triton and Woody Islands, two features controlled by China in the Paracel Islands. The Paracel Islands ...

October 7, 2016: Chinese Fishing Vessels Ram KCG Speedboat

Two Chinese fishing vessels rammed a 25-foot, 4.5-ton Korea Coast Guard speedboat as it attempted to interdict some of an estimated 40 Chinese vessels fishing in the Yellow Sea ...

July 12, 2016: South China Sea Arbitration

On July 12, 2016, an arbitral tribunal constituted under Annex VII to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea issued a ruling in a case brought by the Philippines in 2013 ...

May 17, 2016: Chinese Jets Intercept U.S. EP-3E Near Hainan Island

On Tuesday, May 17, 2016, two Chinese J-11 military aircraft intercepted a U.S. reconnaissance plane over international waters in the South China Sea. The U.S. EP-3E Aries ...

May 10, 2016: Fiery Cross Reef Freedom of Navigation Operation

The U.S. Navy conducted its third freedom of navigation operation within the South China Sea in less than a year on May 10, 2016. Sailing past Fiery Cross Reef--a largely underwater ...

March 19, 2016: Indonesia – China Confrontation

On March 19, 2016, a confrontation between Chinese fishing vessel Kway Fey 10078 and the Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry patrol boat KP HIU 011 sparked an...

January 30, 2016: Triton Island Freedom of Navigation Operation

On January 30, 2016, the guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur, sailing from its home port at Yokosuka, Japan, navigated within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island...

January 6, 2016: Taiping Island Vietnamese Fishing Boats Incident

On January 6, 2016, Taiwanese coast guard vessels drove off two Vietnamese fishing boats near Taiping Island in the South China Sea...

January 2, 2016: China Lands Civilian Aircraft on Fiery Cross Reef

On January 2, 2016, China landed a civilian aircraft on a new tarmac runway on Fiery Cross Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands...

December 26, 2015: Youth Protestors Camp Out at Pagasa Island in the Spratlys

On December 26, 2015, a group of forty-seven Philippine nationals--comprised mostly of students--landed on Pagasa, or Thiti, Island...

October 27, 2015: Subi Reef Freedom of Navigation Operation

The USS Lassen, a U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer, sailed past Subi Reef on Oct. 27, 2015 as part of a freedom of navigation operation. The vessel entered within a 12-nautical-mile radius...

May 14, 2014: HYSY-981 (CNOOC oil rig) Incident

In early May 2014, China moved the Haiyang Shiyou 981 (HYSY-981), a $1-billion drilling rig operated by the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC), to waters 120 nautical miles (nm)...

March 30, 2014: Philippine Navy Sierra Madre Incident (2)

In 2013, China began to actively oppose the presence of Philippine armed forces at Second Thomas Shoal, a low-tide elevation in the Spratly Islands group. In 1999, the Philippine navy...

December 5, 2013: USS Cowpens Incident

On December 5, 2013, a U.S. naval vessel sailing near the first Chinese aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, narrowly avoided colliding with a PLA Navy escort. U.S. defense officials...

May 29, 2013: Philippine Navy Sierra Madre Incident (1)

In 2013, China began to actively oppose the presence of Philippine armed forces at Second Thomas Shoal, a low-tide elevation in the Spratly Islands group. In 1999, the Philippine navy...

May 8, 2013: Shooting Death of Taiwanese Fisherman

In May 2013, the Philippine Coast Guard fatally shot a Taiwanese fisherman in disputed waters, prompting months of diplomatic tensions between Taipei and Manila....

March 2013: James Shoal Incident

To assert China's ownership over James Shoal, Beijing dispatched PLA Navy (PLAN) warships to the submerged feature in March 2013. On arriving, PLAN sailors and marines...

January 30, 2013: Radar Lock-on Incident (Yudachi)

Two separate radar lock-on incidents occurred in January 2013. Signals from a Chinese warship's fire-control systems locked-on to a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) SH-60k helicopter...

January 24, 2013: Taiwan Activists Sail to Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands

On January 24, 2013, four activists in a fishing boat from Taiwan were greeted near the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands (known as the Diaoyutai Islands in Taiwan) by Japan Coast Guard vessels firing water...

January 19, 2013: Radar Lock-on Incident (SH-60k helicopter)

Two separate radar lock-on incidents occurred in January 2013. Signals from a Chinese warship's fire-control systems locked-on to a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) SH-60k helicopter...

December 13, 2012: CMS Aircraft Enters Contested Airspace

On December 13, 2012, a China Maritime Surveillance (CMS) Y-12 plane from the country’s State Oceanic Administration flew into contested airspace over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands...

September 11, 2012: Chinese Patrol and Japanese Coast Guard Standoff

On September 11, 2012, the Chinese government dispatched six maritime surveillance ships to waters around the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in a show of its...

April 8, 2012: Scarborough Shoal Standoff

On April 8, 2012, a Philippine surveillance aircraft spotted eight Chinese fishing boats anchored near Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island in Chinese/Panatag Shoal in Filipino)...

June 9, 2011: Oil Exploration Cables Incident (Viking II)

On May 26, 2011, a Vietnamese oil exploration vessel was harassed by Chinese patrol vessels off the southeastern coast of Vietnam, according to a complaint lodged by the Vietnamese...

May 26, 2011: Oil Exploration Cables Incident (Binh Minh 02)

On May 26, 2011, a Vietnamese oil exploration vessel was harassed by Chinese patrol vessels off the southeastern coast of Vietnam, according to a complaint lodged by the Vietnamese...

November 23, 2010: Bombardment of Yeonpyeong-do

At 14:34 November 23, 2010, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, or North Korea) began shelling Yeonpyeong Island (Yeonpyeong-do), an island of the Republic of Korea...

September 7, 2010: Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands Boat Collision

On the morning of September 7, 2010, a Chinese fishing trawler, the Minjinyu 5179, collided with Japan Coast Guard vessels in disputed waters about 12 km northwest of...

March 26, 2010: Cheonan Sinking

At 21:22 on March 26, 2010, a naval corvette belonging to the Republic of Korea (ROK, or South Korea), the Cheonan, sank in the Yellow Sea (known as the West Sea in Korea) off...

June 11, 2009: USS John McCain Incident

On June 11, 2009, a Chinese submarine ran into a sonar array that was being towed by the USS John McCain, a U.S. Navy destroyer. The incident occurred 144 miles from Subic Bay...

March 9, 2009: USNS Impeccable Incident

On March 9, 2009, the USNS Impeccable was conducting ocean surveillance activities 75 miles (120km) south of Hainan Island when it encountered five Chinese ships—a naval intelligence-...