Loaita Cay

Loaita Cay, also known as Melchora Aquino Island (Filipino: Pulo ng Melchora Aquino; Vietnamese: Đảo Loại Ta Tây; Mandarin Chinese: 南鑰沙洲/南钥沙洲; pinyin: Nányào Shāzhōu), is an island in the Spratly Islands.[2] It has an area of 0.53 hectares (1.3 acres) and it's located about 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) northwest of Philippine-occupied Loaita (Kota) Island,[3] just west of the north of Dangerous Ground.[4]

Not to be confused with Loaita Island.
Loaita Cay
Disputed island
Loaita Cay
Loaita Cay is located in Spratly Islands
Loaita Cay
Loaita Cay
Other names
Melchora Aquino Island (Philippine English)
Pulo ng Melchora Aquino (Filipino)
Đảo Loại Ta Tây (Vietnamese)
南鑰沙洲 / 南钥沙洲 Nányào Shāzhōu (Chinese)
Geography
LocationSouth China Sea
Coordinates10°43′43″N 114°21′09″E
ArchipelagoSpratly Islands
Administration
RegionIV-B - MIMAROPA
ProvincePalawan
Municipality Kalayaan
Claimed by
 China
 Philippines
 Taiwan[1]
 Vietnam

The island is administered by the Philippines as part of Kalayaan, Palawan, and is the seventh largest of the Philippine-occupied islands. It is also claimed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), and Vietnam.

Environment

The island is a low, flat, sandy cay, and is subject to erosion. It changes its shape seasonally. The sand build up depends largely on the direction of prevailing winds and waves; it has taken an elongated shape for some years. Like Flat Island and Lankiam Cay, it is barren of any vegetation. No underground water source has been found in the area.

History

On 22 May 1963, a sovereignty stele was rebuilt on Loaita Island by crew members of the three vessels Huong Giang, Chi Lang and Ky Hoa of the South Vietnam.[5]

Presently, the island serves as a military observation outpost, and is guarded by Philippine soldiers stationed at nearby Loaita Island who regularly visit. It is kept under observation from a tall structure on Loaita Island.

The location of this outpost, which the Philippines calls Panata Island, is often misreported as being on Lankiam Cay, to the east of Loaita Island. While reports suggest Lankiam was once a small sandy cay, it appears to have been washed away, leaving only a submerged reef and a small, shifting sand bar. If there was ever a Filipino facility there, it was moved to Loaita Cay and took the name “Panata Island” with it.[6]

See also

References
  1. "Peace in the South China Sea, National Territory Secure Forever: Position Paper on ROC South Clina Sea Policy" (PDF). ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  2. Loaita Cay on Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.
  3. Sailing Directions (Enroute), Pub. 161: South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand (PDF). Sailing Directions. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2017. p. 13.
  4. NGA Chart 93044 shows the area NW of Dangerous Ground.
  5. ""White Paper on the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands (1975)". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Republic of Vietnam).
  6. PHILIPPINES LAUNCHES SPRATLY RUNWAY REPAIRS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.
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