A Taiwanese fisherman was shot dead on Thursday morning when a Filipino military ship opened fire on a Taiwanese fishing boat, a senior official with the island's fishing authority said.

The shooting occurred around 10 a.m. in a sea area some 180 nautical miles southeast of Erluanbi, the southernmost tip of the island of Taiwan, said Tsay Tzu-yaw, deputy head of Taiwan's fishery administration.

According to local media reports, after killing the fisherman, the Filipino military ship continued to chase and fire in bursts at the Taiwanese vessel.

It escaped danger only after fleeing for more than an hour, with equipment onboard severely damaged, according to reports carried by Taiwanese media outlets.

Tsay said the Taiwanese boat lost its power shortly after that point.

Following the crew radioing for help, he added, certain boats came to assist the fishing vessel, which is expected to return to Taiwan on Friday. The island's marine patrol authority will also send vessels to help, according to Tsay.

It is still unknown why the Filipino military ship opened fire, the official said.

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