Sabina Shoal

Atoll of Spratly Islands in South China Sea

9°45′N 116°28′E / 9.750°N 116.467°E / 9.750; 116.467 (Sabina Shoal)ArchipelagoSpratly IslandsAdministration

Philippines

RegionSouthwestern Tagalog RegionProvincePalawanMunicipality KalayaanClaimed by

China

Philippines

Taiwan

Vietnam

Sabina Shoal, also known as Escoda Shoal (Filipino: Buhanginan ng Escoda); Mandarin Chinese: 仙賓礁/仙宾礁; pinyin: Xiānbīn Jiāo; Vietnamese: Bãi Sa Bin, is an atoll in the NE of Dangerous Ground in the Spratly Islands. The Philippines puts it under the jurisdiction of Brgy. Pag-asa, Kalayaan, Palawan.^[1] It is also claimed by the People's Republic of China, and the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Vietnam.

Geography

Sabina Shoal lies in position 09° 45' N 116° 28' E,^[2] 123.6 nautical miles from Palawan Island.^[3] It lies 56 nautical miles southwest of Carnatic Shoal, with two main parts and an area of 115 square kilometres (44 sq mi).

The eastern half of Sabina Shoal consists of reefs awash, while the western half consists of banks 3.7 to 8.3 meters deep, and reefs enclosing a lagoon.^[4] The features are well within the Philippines' EEZ closest to Palawan island.

Disputes and controversies

In 1995, soon after occupying Mischief Reef, China (PRC) installed 3 buoys near Sabina Shoal. They were confiscated by the Philippines.^[5]

On April 27, 2021, during a joint maritime patrol operations of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the area, seven Chinese maritime militia vessels were spotted anchored at the atoll. After several challenges from BRP Cabra of PCG, the militia vessels left the area.^[6]^[7]

References

^ Zambrano, Chiara (27 March 2014). "Mission to Ayungin shoal". ABS CBN News. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
^ D.J Hancox; John Prescott. A Geographical Description of the Spratly Islands. UK: International Boundaries Research Unit. p. 28.
^ "PHL insists Escoda Shoal is within its sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction". balita.ph. 2012-01-11. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
^ Admiralty Sailing Directions - South China Sea. Taunton: UKHO - United Kingdom Hydrographic Office. 2004. p. 64.
^ Bondoc, Jarius (16 April 2012). "China out to grab Zambales shoal". Philippine Star. Retrieved 23 May 2014. (Zambales Shoal is also known as Scarborough Shoal.)
^ Bagaoisan, Anjo (May 5, 2021). "7 barko ng China, pinaalis ng PCG sa Sabina Shoal". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
^ Viray, Patricia Lourdes (May 5, 2021). "Chinese militia vessels at Sabina Shoal disperse after challenge by coast guard — Esperon". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 6, 2021.

Spratly Islands

Confrontations

Regions

Occupied features

Brunei	Louisa Reef
China	Cuarteron Reef Fiery Cross Reef Gaven Reefs Hughes Reef Johnson South Reef Mischief Reef Subi Reef
Malaysia	Ardasier Reef Dallas Reef Erica Reef Investigator Shoal Mariveles Reef Swallow Reef
Philippines	Commodore Reef Flat Island Irving Reef Lankiam Cay Loaita Cay Loaita Island Nanshan Island Northeast Cay Second Thomas Shoal Thitu Island West York Island
Taiwan	Taiping Island Zhongzhou Reef
Vietnam	Alison Reef Amboyna Cay Barque Canada Reef Bombay Castle Central London Reef Collins Reef Cornwallis South Reef Discovery Great Reef East London Reef Grierson Reef Ladd Reef Lansdowne Reef Namyit Island Pearson Reef Petley Reef Sand Cay Sin Cowe Island South Reef Southwest Cay Spratly Island Tennent Reef West London Reef

Unoccupied features

South China Sea

Pratas Island

Pratas Island
North Vereker Bank
South Vereker Bank

Paracel Islands

Amphitrite Group	Rocky Island Tree Island West Sand Woody Island Qilian Yu
Crescent Group	Money Island Robert Island Yagong Island
Other features	Bombay Reef Triton Island

Northeastern SCS

Spratly Islands

Dangerous
Ground

NW	North Danger Reef Northeast Cay Southwest Cay Thitu Reefs Thitu Island Subi Reef Loaita Bank Lankiam Cay Loaita Cay Loaita Island Tizard Bank Gaven Reefs Namyit Island Sand Cay Taiping Island Zhongzhou Reef NNW Irving Reef West York Island WNW Western Reef
NE	Flat Island Nanshan Island Reed Tablemount Third Thomas Shoal
SE	Commodore Reef First Thomas Shoal Mischief Reef Sabina Shoal Second Thomas Shoal
SW	Union Banks Collins Reef Hughes Reef Johnson South Reef Sin Cowe Island Ardasier Reef Cornwallis South Reef Dallas Reef Erica Reef Investigator Shoal Mariveles Reef