Horizontal ScrollView touchables stop responding when nested inside a sticky header (RN 0.79.2)

Description

When you nest a horizontal ScrollView with touchable tabs inside a vertical ScrollView (or SectionList) that uses stickyHeaderIndices, the horizontal scroll still works, but the individual tab TouchableOpacity buttons no longer fire their onPress once the header becomes pinned. As soon as you scroll back up and the header unsticks, the buttons work again.

Steps to reproduce

1. Create a fresh RN 0.79.2 project (or use your existing app).
2. Copy this component into App.js (or similar):

import React, { useState } from 'react'
import { View, Text, ScrollView, TouchableOpacity, StyleSheet, SafeAreaView } from 'react-native'

const ItemBox = ({ title }) => (
  <View style={styles.itemBox}>
    <Text>{title}</Text>
  </View>
)

export default function NestedScrollTest() {
  const tabs = [
    { key: 'one', title: 'Tab One' },
    { key: 'two', title: 'Tab Two' },
    { key: 'three', title: 'Tab Three' },
    { key: 'four', title: 'Tab Four' },
    { key: 'five', title: 'Tab Five' },
  ]

  // Generate lots of items so it scrolls
  const allItems = Array.from({ length: 50 }, (_, i) => `Item #${i + 1}`)

  const [activeTab, setActiveTab] = useState(tabs[0].key)

  const filteredItems = allItems.filter(
    (_, idx) => idx % tabs.length === tabs.findIndex(t => t.key === activeTab)
  )

  return (
    <SafeAreaView style={styles.container}>
      <TouchableOpacity
        style={styles.submitButton}
        onPress={() => alert(`Submitting on "${activeTab}"`)}
      >
        <Text style={styles.submitText}>Top Submit Button</Text>
      </TouchableOpacity>
      {/* Vertical scroll area with sticky header */}
      <ScrollView
        style={styles.scrollContainer}
        contentContainerStyle={{ paddingBottom: 20 }}
        nestedScrollEnabled
        removeClippedSubviews={false}
        stickyHeaderIndices={[0]}
      >
        {/* Sticky horizontal tab bar */}
        <View style={styles.stickyContainer} pointerEvents="box-none">
          <ScrollView
            horizontal
            showsHorizontalScrollIndicator={false}
            nestedScrollEnabled
            pointerEvents="auto"
            contentContainerStyle={styles.tabBar}
            onStartShouldSetResponder={() => true}
          >
            {tabs.map(tab => (
              <TouchableOpacity
                key={tab.key}
                onPress={() => setActiveTab(tab.key)}
                activeOpacity={0.7}
                style={[
                  styles.tabButton,
                  activeTab === tab.key && styles.activeTab,
                ]}
              >
                <Text style={
                  activeTab === tab.key ? styles.activeTabText : styles.tabText
                }>
                  {tab.title}
                </Text>
              </TouchableOpacity>
            ))}
          </ScrollView>
        </View>

        {filteredItems.map(title => (
          <ItemBox key={title} title={title} />
        ))}
      </ScrollView>

      <TouchableOpacity
        style={styles.submitButton}
        onPress={() => alert(`Submitting on "${activeTab}"`)}
      >
        <Text style={styles.submitText}>Bottom Submit Button</Text>
      </TouchableOpacity>
    </SafeAreaView>
  )
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
  },
  scrollContainer: {
    flex: 1,
  },
  stickyContainer: {
    backgroundColor: 'white',
    zIndex: 10,
    elevation: 4,
  },
  tabBar: {
    paddingVertical: 10,
    paddingHorizontal: 8,
  },
  tabButton: {
    paddingHorizontal: 16,
    paddingVertical: 8,
    marginRight: 8,
    borderRadius: 4,
    backgroundColor: '#EEE',
  },
  activeTab: {
    backgroundColor: '#4A90E2',
  },
  tabText: {
    fontSize: 14,
    color: '#333',
  },
  activeTabText: {
    fontSize: 14,
    color: '#FFF',
  },
  itemBox: {
    height: 80,
    marginHorizontal: 16,
    marginVertical: 8,
    backgroundColor: '#F9F9F9',
    borderRadius: 6,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
    elevation: 2,
  },
  submitButton: {
    padding: 16,
    backgroundColor: '#28A745',
    alignItems: 'center',
  },
  submitText: {
    color: '#FFF',
    fontSize: 16,
  },
})

3. Run on Android.

4. Scroll until the tab bar sticks to the top.

5. Tap any tab button—nothing fires.

6. Scroll up one pixel; tap again—the press now registers.

React Native Version

0.79.2

Affected Platforms

Runtime - Android

Output of npx @react-native-community/cli info

System:
  OS: Linux 6.8 Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS 24.04.2 LTS (Noble Numbat)
  CPU: (6) x64 Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-9400F CPU @ 2.90GHz
  Memory: 12.45 GB / 23.38 GB
  Shell:
    version: 5.2.21
    path: /bin/bash
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 22.11.0
    path: ~/.nvm/versions/node/v22.11.0/bin/node
  Yarn:
    version: 1.22.22
    path: ~/.nvm/versions/node/v22.11.0/bin/yarn
  npm:
    version: 10.9.0
    path: ~/.nvm/versions/node/v22.11.0/bin/npm

npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 18.0.0
    wanted: 18.0.0
  react:
    installed: 19.0.0
    wanted: 19.0.0
  react-native:
    installed: 0.79.2
    wanted: 0.79.2

MANDATORY Reproducer

https://github.com/Mootzali/NestedScrollIssue/

Start with the mandatory reproducer and its App.js component on Android, comparing tab presses while the header is pinned and unpinned. Trace the React Native Android touch handling for the nested horizontal ScrollView and sticky header, then verify that the tab TouchableOpacity controls respond while pinned without breaking scrolling.