Oil spill threatens Philippines capital after tanker capsizes
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The Philippine coast guard surveying the waters off Limay after an oil tanker with 1.4 million litres of fuel capsized.
PHOTO: AFP
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MANILA – A marine tanker carrying industrial fuel sank in rough seas off the Philippines on July 25, causing the death of a crew member and an oil spill that could spread to waters off the capital Manila, officials said.
Sixteen of the 17 crew members of the Terra Nova had been rescued, Transportation Minister Jaime Bautista said, after the ship capsized off the coastal town of Limay, in Bataan province.
The coastguard said they found the body of a previously missing crew member in the sea off Limay town in Bataan province, less than three hours’ drive from the capital Manila, on July 25 afternoon.
“There is already an oil spill. Right now, we cannot dispatch our resources because of strong winds and high waves,” Mr Bautista said.
The ship was carrying 1.4 million litres of industrial fuel, he added.
Rear-Admiral Armando Balilo, spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard, told reporters in a separate briefing that a 97m coast guard vessel was deployed to combat the oil spill.
Smaller vessels were waiting for the weather to clear before setting sail.
An aerial survey by the coast guard showed an oil slick spreading roughly 3.7km and being driven by strong waves.
“We are racing against time. We will do our best to contain the fuel,” Rear-Adm Balilo said.
He added that the waters where the ship sank are close to Manila, and there is a “big danger” the spill could reach the capital.
“That’s part of the contingencies that we are preparing for,” he said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has ordered the Environment Ministry to assess the damage and the ministry said its chief was on her way to Limay town.
Rear-Adm Balilo said rescued crew members had described encountering rough seas before the ship capsized.
Officials were investigating whether the sinking was related to Typhoon Gaemi, which on July 24 flooded swathes of the capital Manila
At least 14 people have died from the typhoon and monsoon rains, according to government data, and officials said the toll could go up.
LSEG’s Eikon data shows the Terra Nova has a deadweight tonnage of 1,415 tons and was headed to the central province of Iloilo.
In 2023, oil tanker Princess Empress was carrying about 800,000 litres of industrial fuel when it capsized on Feb 28 and eventually sank, causing an oil spill that took three months to clean up
