Fiery Cross Reef, Artificial island in Spratly Islands, South China Sea.
Fiery Cross Reef is an artificial island in the Spratlys in the South China Sea. The reclaimed land covers around 274 hectares and features a 3.1-kilometer runway designed for both military and civilian aircraft operations.
British sailors first documented the reef in 1867 during a survey mission aboard HMS Rifleman. They discovered the wreckage of two merchant ships that had wrecked on the submerged reef.
Multiple nations maintain territorial claims over this location, leading to international discussions about maritime boundaries and regional sovereignty.
The location houses advanced radar and communication systems along with berthing facilities for vessels. These installations support maritime operations across the broader region.
Creating the island from a submerged coral reef required extensive dredging operations that moved millions of cubic meters of sand. This large-scale land reclamation significantly altered the marine landscape of the region.
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