MANILA – An oil tanker carrying some 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil half-submerged off the waters of Balingawan Point in Naujan town in Oriental Mindoro early Tuesday morning, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
To determine the possible occurrence of an oil spill, the PCG has already deployed its ship BRP Melchora Aquino and an airbus helicopter for surveillance and assessment.
The PCG said MT Princess Empress departed from Bataan en route to Iloilo with its 20 crew members.
However, the vessel encountered engine trouble and rough sea condition, which caused it to sink in half.
“Initial investigation revealed that the distressed motor tanker encountered engine trouble due to overheating. It then drifted towards the vicinity waters off Balingawan Point due to rough sea conditions until it became half-submerged,” the PCG said in a statement.
Port of Batangas manager Joselito Sino Cruz told DZBB that the vessel sank at around 2 a.m. Sino Cruz also previously said the incident occurred off the waters of Tablas Island in Romblon.
Meanwhile, a foreign vessel rescued all the 20 crew members, who were later dropped off at the Port of Subic Bay, according to Sino Cruz.
Vincent Gahol, Oriental Mindoro provincial disaster risk reduction management officer, in an online interview said that before the vessel sank, the tanker drifted into the Mag-asawang Tubig River in Barangay (village) San Antonio in Naujan.
The PCG and the Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog personnel who responded to the incident were told “to provide necessary assistance and assess the vicinity waters for possible traces of an oil spill,” said PCG.
A passing foreign vessel identified as MV Efes rescued the 20 crew members, said PCG. No one was hurt. (John Eric Mendoza, Madonna T. Virola © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
