A senior navy official stated on Thursday that China's coastguard personnel behaved like "a band of barbarians" this week during a Philippine supply mission to a disputed shoal in South China Sea, which resulted in injuries and damages to vessels.

A Philippine sailor was seriously injured after what the Philippine military called "intentional high speed ramming by the Chinese Coast Guard" in an attempt to disrupt a supply mission for troops on Second Thomas Shoal.

China's Coast Guard personnel - who Philippine military officials claimed were carrying knives and spears - looted firearms from Philippine boats and "deliberately punctured them".

In a telephone interview with Roy Trinidad, the Philippine Navy spokesperson on Thursday, he said: "We weren't prepared for that type of response."

Trinidad warned that China's "illegal and aggressive" actions could lead to a miscalculation on the sea. (Reporting and editing by John Mair; Karen Lema is the reporter)