2 Vietnamese dead, 5 arrested in chase with Philippine navy

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino military officials say two Vietnamese fishermen were killed and five others were taken into custody after they were spotted fishing off the northwestern Philippines and a night chase ensued with a Vietnamese boat hitting a Philippine navy ship and gunshots being fired.

Philippine navy information officer Lt. Jose Covvarubias says the five Vietnamese, along with their two dead fellow fishermen, have been turned over to Filipino police authorities after the early Saturday incident off Bolinao town in northwestern Pangasinan province.

Covvarubias said Sunday that details remained sketchy and that an investigation was underway.

Covvarubias said the incident happened within the 200-nautical-mile (370-kilometer) Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines, a stretch of ocean where a coastal state has been granted exclusive rights to fish and exploit other sea resources.