Vietnam in sabotage claim against Chinese boats
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Buy SPH photosHANOI (AFP) - Vietnam's state-run energy giant PetroVietnam accused Chinese fishing vessels of sabotaging one of its boats, state media said on Tuesday, the latest clash in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
Geological survey vessel, the Binh Minh 2, was operating in Vietnamese territorial waters on Friday when it was approached by a number of Chinese fishing vessels, Vietnam News reported.
The boats "ran up behind the Binh Minh 2, cutting the Vietnamese ship's seismic cables... Many Chinese vessels were operating in the area," company official Pham Viet Dung was quoted as saying in the report.
Mr Dung, who is the deputy head of the exploration and exploitation department of PetroVietnam, added that the vessel's operation was restored to normal on Saturday.
