Philippine officials said they are “racing against time” to prevent an environmental disaster in Manila Bay after a fuel oil tanker sank as the country was lashed by a typhoon. Sixteen crewmembers were recovered from the tanker Terra Nova after the vessel sank after midnight on July 25, but one crewmember was reported missing and the body was later recovered.
The Philippine-flagged tanker departed Bataan province on the island of Luzon north of Manila on Wednesday, July 24, bound for the southern Iloilo province loaded with 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil. As it passed near Corregidor Island near the entrance to Manila Bay around 2200 local time the vessel began to encounter what the survivors described as massive waves. The fuel tanker is described as 213 feet in length.
The captain attempted to turn the vessel but they said they lost control in the heavy seas before the vessel capsized. It eventually sank approximately four miles off Lamao Point near the entrance to Manila Bay.
Terra Nova was lost in a storm (PGC supplied photo)
The Philippine Coast Guard mobilized to rescue the crew and began aerial surveys. Ten of the crewmembers were receiving first aid on the PSC vessel BRP Melchora Aquino, while two were taken to a local shore station. Four others were taken to a hospital for treatment. Additional vessels with oil containment and dispersant have also been dispatched.
An oil slick has been spotted off the point and stretching nearly two nautical miles in Manila Bay. The Coast Guard reports it is being carried east to northeast by strong currents. The danger is that the oil slick could reach Manila and it is also considered a hazard to navigation in the bay.
Coast Guard officials reported later in the day that initial surveys showed the vessel sank in relatively shallow water estimated at a depth of just over 110 feet. They believe the oil slick is coming from the vessel’s fuel and not from the cargo tanks which they believe are so far intact.
PCG Commandant, CG Admiral Ronnie Gil L Gavan, has directed the deployment of three 44-meter multi-role response vessels (MRRVs) to augment the ongoing oil spill response operations in Bataan.
— Philippine Coast Guard (@coastguardph) July 25, 2024
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Based on the depth and position the Coast Guard says a siphoning operation will not be “very technical” and they are already planning the recovery to protect Manila Bay.
“The PGC sets an operational target of seven days to finish siphoning the oil from the sunken tanker to stop further spread,” Coast Guard Commander Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said in a statement on the situation.
Manila and the central Philippines are being lashed by the forces of Typhoon Gaemi (locally called Carina) as the storm passed offshore. The outer bands however have produced 12 inches of rain with reports of widespread flooding and landslides. At least 20 people have been reported killed in the storm and more than 600,000 are displaced. Rescues are ongoing from flooded homes and regions.
Questions were immediately raised as to why the tanker departed Bataan province. Reports indicate that no public storm warning had been raised when the vessel departed. Coast Guard officials are saying no rules or regulations were violated.
The sinking recalled a similar oil disaster in 2023 when another tanker was lost and it took the Philippines more than three months to stop the oil leaks. Coast Guard officials compared today’s situation saying it was much simpler to recover but also presents a significant environmental danger. They have not yet decided if they need to ask for international assistance.
