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5d ago

WWII-Era Philippine Navy Ship Sinks Prematurely During U.S.-Philippines Military Drills

The BRP Miguel Malvar sank off Zambales before a planned live-fire exercise, leading to the cancellation of the ship-sinking drill while other Balikatan maneuvers continue.

In this handout photo, provided by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office, the decommissioned Philippine Navy BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19) takes on water before sinking while being positioned as vessel target prompting the cancellation of a live-fire drill as part of a joint US-Philippines military exercises called Balikatan or "shoulder to shoulder" approximately 35 miles west of San Antonio, Zambales, Philippines, on Monday, May 5, 2025.

Overview

  • The decommissioned BRP Miguel Malvar sank on May 5, 2025, while being towed in rough seas about 30 nautical miles off Zambales, Philippines.
  • The ship, an 80-year-old former U.S. Navy vessel, was slated to be a target in a live-fire exercise during the Balikatan military drills but could not withstand the conditions.
  • The ship-sinking drill, planned near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, was canceled, but other live-fire exercises involving 14,000 U.S. and Philippine forces are proceeding as scheduled.
  • The annual Balikatan exercises focus on enhancing U.S.-Philippines military cooperation and countering China's increasing maritime assertiveness in the South China Sea.
  • The BRP Miguel Malvar, originally built in the 1940s, had a storied history, serving in the U.S. Navy during WWII before being transferred to Vietnam and later acquired by the Philippine Navy.