Second Thomas Shoal

Second Thomas Shoal is a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea, approximately 105 nautical miles west of Palawan, Philippines. The reef is claimed by multiple nations, including China, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. A Philippine Navy garrison of less than a dozen Marine personnel occupies the reef, stationed on a grounded ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, which was intentionally placed on the reef in 1999. The reef's status as a low-tide elevation was confirmed by the UNCLOS tribunal in 2016, meaning it does not generate entitlement to a territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, or continental shelf.learn more on wikipedia