| Disputed atoll | |
|---|---|
 Location of Bombay Reef within the Paracel Islands | |
  Bombay Reef | |
| Other names | Chinese:浪花礁;pinyin:Lànghuājiāo;Vietnamese:đá Bông Bay |
| Geography | |
| Location | South China Sea |
| Coordinates | 16°02′41″N112°31′06″E / 16.04472°N 112.51833°E /16.04472; 112.51833 |
| Archipelago | Paracel Islands |
| Length | 10 mi (20 km)[1] |
| Administration | |
People's Republic of China | |
| Claimed by | |
Republic of China (Taiwan) | |
Vietnam | |
Bombay Reef (Chinese:浪花礁;pinyin:Lànghuājiāo,Vietnamese:đá Bông Bay) is anatoll of theParacel Islands. In Chinese, the reef is alternatively known as "Pengbojiao" (Chinese:蓬勃礁), or "Qilianyu(七连屿)" (literally "7 key lago") along with six other islands close by.
TheNational Geospatial-Intelligence Agency'sSailing Directions describes Bombay Reef as "the southeasternmost known danger of the Paracel Islands, a steep-to reef 10 miles long E and W that surrounds a rock-strewn lagoon."[1]
A lighthouse is located on the south-west end of the reef.[1][2] It was built by the French in 1980.[3]
In the early hours of 20 December 1946, en route from Hong Kong to Singapore fordecommissioning, HMSAireran aground on Bombay Reef.[4] She was spotted by chance, three days later, by the passingHMS Bonaventure and the 85 crew, amongst them the ship's dog, were rescued with no serious casualties.[5] As aRiver-classfrigate, HMSAire wassister ship to the famoussuperyachtChristina O.
In early May 1967 the 87-foot (27 m)[6] steel sailing schoonerDante Deo, with six men and a six-year-old boy on board,[7] was wrecked on Bombay Reef.[8] The crew were rescued on 5 May 1967 by anamphibious aircraft operated by the37th Air Rescue Squadron.[7]
Bombay Reef is the site of numerous othershipwrecks, at least one of which is visible above water and onradar from 15 miles away.[1]
Lacking a native population, ownership of the Paracel Islands has been disputed since the early 20th century. In the aftermath of theFirst Indochina War until 1974 Vietnam occupied Pattle Island, approximately 60 nautical miles (110 km) away. Control has been enforced by the People's Republic of China since theBattle of the Paracel Islands.
Bombay Reef is administered and governed by thePeople's Republic of China and patrolled by the Chinese border police.
I ended up joining Dante Deo in Bali in February 1967, after working for a year in Sydney. I sailed on her throughout Indonesia, on to Singapore and as far as Bombay Reef in the Paracel Islands, south of Hainan Island, where she was shipwrecked in May 1967.
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| Tudjuh Archipelago | |||||||||||||||||
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