MANILA – The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) said Monday that parts of a Chinese rocket may have fallen within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The Long March 7 rocket was launched from Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan, China at about 8:14 a.m. Philippine time.
Based on PhilSA’s advisory, possible debris drop areas were estimated to be 34 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc, 97 nautical miles from Cabra Island in Occidental Mindoro, and 130 nautical miles from Busuanga, Palawan.
The agency warned that debris may float and drift toward nearby shorelines. It urged the public to report any suspected fragments to authorities and avoid handling them due to possible toxic materials like rocket fuel residue.
PhilSA emphasized that although no populated land areas are expected to be hit, the debris could still endanger ships, fishing boats, and aircraft passing through the affected zones.
It also said the chance of an uncontrolled reentry of the rocket’s upper stages is still being monitored.
According to the agency, space debris continues to pose risks not only in orbit but also to aviation and people on the ground.
