On September 18, while the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources government vessel BRP Datu Magat Salamat was carrying out a mission in the waters off Palawan, it was rammed by China Coast Guard ship 21585, resulting in damage to the Philippine ship's starboard side. The Philippine side accused China of a deliberate collision, while the Chinese side claimed the Philippine vessel made an illegal diagonal cut causing a scrape, and insisted its own operation was lawful.