| Disputed island | |
|---|---|
 Image byNASA | |
  Amboyna Cay | |
| Other names | Đảo An Bang(Vietnamese) Pulau Amboyna Kecil(Malay) Datu Kalantiaw Island(Philippine English) Pulo ng Datu Kalantiaw(Filipino) 安波沙洲 Ānbō Shāzhōu(Chinese) |
| Geography | |
| Location | South China Sea |
| Coordinates | 07°53′31″N112°55′17″E / 7.89194°N 112.92139°E /7.89194; 112.92139 |
| Archipelago | Spratly Islands |
| Administration | |
| District | Trường Sa District |
| Township | Trường Sa Township |
| Claimed by | |
Amboyna Cay (Vietnamese:Đảo An Bang;Malay:Pulau Amboyna Kecil;Filipino:Pulo ng Datu Kalantiaw,lit. 'Island ofDatu Kalantiaw';Chinese:安波沙洲;pinyin:Ānbō Shāzhōu)[1] is anisland of theSpratly Islands group in theSouth China Sea located just outside (SW) of the southwest ofDangerous Ground.[2] It is SW ofBarque Canada Reef, south of theLondon Reefs, and NW ofSwallow Reef.
With an area of 1.6 hectares (4.0 acres), it is thethirteenth largest naturally occurring Spratly island and the sixth largest amongst those occupied byVietnam.
The island has two parts: the eastern part consists of sand and coral, and the west part is covered with guano. It has a fringing reef. An obelisk, about 2.7 metres (8 ft 10 in) high, stands on the SW corner. There is little vegetation. It is described by some as heavily fortified.[3] A lighthouse has been operational on the island since May 1995.
The island is also claimed byChina,Malaysia, thePhilippines andTaiwan.
From 1956 on, in the face of Chinese and Philippine opposition, theRepublic of Vietnam Navy began to launch various operations to reassertcontrol over the Spratly Islands. Crewmembers erected sovereignty steles on almost all of them and built poles to hoist the Vietnamese flag. The cruiserTuy Dong (HQ-04) was assigned these missions in August 1956.[4]
On 20 May 1963, theRepublic of Vietnam Navy landed on Amboyna Cay and rebuilt the sovereignty stele.[5]
On 28 April 1975, the Vietnam People's Navy landed on Amboyna Cay but later left the cay due to harsh climate.
In 1978 theRoyal Malaysian Navy landed on the island and placed markers. However, the markers were subsequently destroyed by Vietnam People's Navy who has returned and occupied the cay since 10 March 1978.[6]
On 31 March 1979, forces occupying the cay fired warning shots at a boat transporting sixamateur radio operators ("hams") attempting aDX-pedition to Amboyna Cay.[7]
In 1983, a Singapore yacht operated by the owner and his wife transporting four German hams on a DX-pedition to Amboyna Cay was fired upon by Vietnamese forces. One of the hams, Diethelm Mueller, was hit by an artillery round and fell overboard. His body was never found. The yacht burned and the rest of the party drifted for 11 days on debris. Another ham, Gero Band, died of thirst the day before the survivors were rescued by a passing Japanese freighter which took them to Hong Kong.[8][9]
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