A Philippine-flagged motor tanker loaded with 1.4 million liters (1.4 metric tons) of industrial fuel oil (IFO) capsized and eventually sank off Limay, Bataan on Thursday, July 25.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) identified the vessel of interest as MT Terra Nova which capsized and eventually submerged 3.6 nautical miles east off Lamao Point around 1:10 a.m.
The motor tanker was manned by 17 crew members, of which, 16 were rescued while another one – a second mate – remained missing and subject of search and rescue operation led by the BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702).
Ten crew members were onboard BRP Melchora Aquino and received first aid, two of them were at the PCG Station in Limay, while four were brought to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Surviving crew members told the PCG that they left Bataan on Wednesday night. They were about to exit Corregidor en route to Iloilo when they were hit by big waves.
“Bandang alas-diyes ng gabi, naramdaman na nila na malakas ang alon at nagdecide ‘yung kapitan na bumalik (Around 10 p.m., they felt that the waves were strong and the captain decided to return),” PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said.
“Pero immediately, nahirapan sila sapagkat ang sabi nila pasalubong sila sa alon at ang term ng mga crew ay ‘sumalok sila ng alon’ at pinasok ang barko hanggang tuluyan silang nagcapsize (But they found it hard to return because they said they were facing the waves, and the term that the crew used is they ‘scooped the waves’ until the ship was filled with water and capsized),” he added.
PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan ordered an investigation to determine if the incident was related to Typhoon “Carina” which enhanced the effects of southwest monsoon (habagat).
“Pinacheck ko kung mayroong weather disturbance at that particular time pero may sinubmit sa akin na weather bulletin na walang nakaraise na public storm warning signal (I have it checked if there was a weather disturbance at that particular time but a weather bulletin was submitted to me indicating that there was no public storm warning signal raised in the area),” Balilo said.
“Kapag walang public warning storm signal, pwedeng lumayag ‘yung mga barko (If there is no public warning storm signal, vessels can sail),” he explained.
Oil spill concerns
The sinking of the MT Terra Nova triggered fears of a large-scale oil spill that might reach Manila’s shore, according to Balilo.
The Coast Guard Aviation Command performed an aerial survey as part of the ongoing oil spill response operations and it monitored an oil spill 5.6 nautical miles east off Lamao Point.
Balilo said the leak came from the tanker's working fuel (diesel) and not part of the 1.4 million liters of black IFO. The spillage has an estimated coverage of two nautical miles in length and carried by strong current heading east to northeast direction.
“So far, minimal pa lang ang nakitang oil spill, probably ito ‘yung fuel na ginagamit ng barko. ‘Yung karga, wala pang signs na tumatagas na (So far, there is a minimal oil spill that we monitored, and probably this was the fuel used by the ship. There are no signs that the cargo fuel is leaking),” he stated.
Balilo said the PCG is “racing against time” to retrieve the cargo fuel as it would be disastrous if it leaks, but the primary challenge now is the weather in the area as the waves were still violent.
“There is a big danger that Manila would be affected, even the shoreline of Manila, if the [cargo] fuel leaks,” the PCG spokesman said.
“Secondly of course, this is a hazard to navigation because their route is a pathway for vessels. We have issued a notice to mariners so they could be advised to avoid the area and we have marshals nearby to inform passing vessels to re-route,” Balilo added.
At present, the PCG has mobilized marine environmental protection personnel to combat the spillage and prevent a repeat of the MT Princess Empress incident last year. Oil spill booms were already installed to contain the spill.
The PCG National Capital Region-Central Luzon (NCR-CL) also dispatched personnel to Navotas, Bulacan, and Pampanga to monitor and prepare once the spill reaches those areas.
The MT Princess Empress sank off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on Feb. 28, 2023 while carrying 800,000 liters of IFO and caused a massive oil spill that affected Oriental Mindoro’s waters and reached Antique, Batangas, and Palawan.
It took three months before the PCG cleared the Mindoro oil spill and by that time, thousands of fisherfolk were affected and many residents nearby the polluted areas suffered from health conditions. Marine life was also damaged.
The PCG has coordinated with MT Terra Nova's ship owner to check the vessel’s water pipe status and determine its configuration for possible retrieval or salvaging operations.
“’Yung insidente sa Mindoro, masyadong malalim at nagsuccumb sa pressure ‘yung mga parte niya at talagang lumabas ang oil. Ito hindi naman masyadong malalim kasi noong una half-submerged lang siya baka sakaling mababaw lang and we’re hoping hindi maapektuhan yung integrity ng tanks niya and hindi tumagas ‘yung langis (In the Mindoro incident, the vessel sank so deep and succumbed to the water pressure which caused the spill of the cargo fuel. This time, the vessel was not that deep, it was initially half-submerged before it sank, hopefully it was just shallow, and we’re hoping the integrity of the tanks won’t be affected and the oil will not spill),” he said.
The ship owner, according to the PCG, has hired a salvor for salvage operations.
The PCG will also study if there is a need to ask for assistance from its foreign partners such as Indonesia, Japan, and the United States in terms of the oil spill response.
“This will come after the assessment and coordination that will be done by the PCG and the stakeholders,” Balilo said.