Chinese vessels stop Vietnam ships from Haiyang oil rig

China on Tuesday deployed up to 86 vessels, including two military ships, with support from aircrafts and helicopters around its drilling rig Haiyang 981 (HD 981), according to Vietnam Coast Guard.  

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9 out of the 86 ships were used to guard and protect the oil rig that has been illegally planted in Vietnam's waters in the East Vietnam Sea since May 1.
A handout photo taken by the Vietnam Coast Guard on Tuesday showed several Chinese vessels formed a line to prevent Vietnamese ships from approaching the HD 981.
The rig is located at 15°29’58’’ North latitude and 111°12’06’’ East longitude in the East Vietnam Sea, within Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, as the drilling platform lies about 119 nautical miles (221 km) from Ly Son Island off the central Vietnamese province of Quang Ngai and 18 nautical miles south of Tri Ton Island of the Southeast Asian country’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.