Second Thomas Shoal
| Disputed island | |
|---|---|
Second Thomas Shoal
|
|
| Geography | |
 |
|
| Location | South China Sea |
| Coordinates | 9°44′N 115°52′E / 9.733°N 115.867°ECoordinates: 9°44′N 115°52′E / 9.733°N 115.867°E |
| Archipelago | Spratly Islands |
| Administered by | |
| Philippines | |
| Municipality | Kalayaan, Palawan |
| Claimed by | |
| People's Republic of China | |
| Philippines | |
| Republic of China (Taiwan) | |
| Vietnam | |
Second Thomas Shoal (also known as Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines, marked as Jen-ai'Chiao on nautical charts, known as Bãi Cỏ Mây in Vietnam, and known as 仁爱礁 in China) is an uninhabitedshoal/atoll in the Spratly group of islands in the South China Sea, 105 nautical miles (194 km; 121 mi) west of Palawan, Philippines. Claimed by several nations, the shoal is currently militarily occupied by the Philippines.
The shoal is one of three named after Thomas Gilbert, the Captain of the Charlotte which sailed as a transport ship in the British First Fleet to Australia and subsequently became an East India Company tea clipper:
Located south-east of Mischief Reef (09°55′N 115°32′E / 9.917°N 115.533°E), Second Thomas Shoal is near the centre of Dangerous Ground in the north-eastern part of the Spratly Islands; there are no settlements north or east of it. It is a tear-drop shaped atoll, 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) long North-South and fringed with coral reefs. The coral rim surrounds a lagoon which has depths of up to 27 metres (89 ft) and is accessible to small boats from the East. Drying patches are found east and west of the reef rim.
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Wikipedia