The Philippines on Tuesday strongly condemned China’s recent rocket launch after suspected debris from the mission fell close to the western province of Palawan, sparking public alarm and raising concerns over safety risks to residents, ships, and aircraft in the area.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said no injuries or property damage were reported following the incident late Monday. However, he warned that the suspected debris from China’s Long March-12 rocket posed “a clear danger and risk to land areas and to ships, aircraft, fishing boats, and other vessels operating near the designated drop zones.”
“We condemn in no uncertain terms the irresponsible testing done by the People’s Republic of China,” Año said in a statement, adding that the launch caused panic among residents in Puerto Princesa City and surrounding towns who reported hearing loud explosions and seeing a fireball streak across the sky before it exploded and shook the ground.
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Chinese authorities have yet to respond to the Philippine official’s statement.
According to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, the Long March-12 rocket was launched Monday night from a commercial spaceport in Hainan province. The mission, which was China’s 587th using the Long March series, successfully placed a batch of internet satellites into orbit.
It remains unclear whether Chinese officials had notified neighbouring countries, including the Philippines, about potential debris from the launch.
The Philippine Space Agency said debris was expected to fall within two designated drop zones: approximately 21 nautical miles (39 km) from Puerto Princesa and 18 nautical miles (33 km) from Tubbataha Reef Natural Park—a UNESCO-listed marine sanctuary in the Sulu Sea.
“While the debris was not projected to fall on inhabited areas, it still poses risks to vessels, aircraft, and other maritime activities,” the agency warned, explaining that rocket components such as boosters and fairings are often jettisoned during launch and can survive re-entry.
Search operations involving aircraft and vessels were launched Tuesday to locate any remnants of the rocket, Año said. He also advised the public not to touch any debris that may be found, citing the possibility of toxic fuel residue.
Source: Agency