The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it was monitoring a Philippine-flagged motor tanker that ran aground along the shoreline of Burgos, Surigao del Norte on Sunday, Jan. 11.

The vessel was identified as MT Cheng Xian Feng 168, which has a 712 gross tonnage.

PCG spokesperson Captain Noemie Cayabyab said assessment operations were ongoing to protect the marine environment while authorities were checking the condition of the vessel, including the possibility of a hull breach.

“No oil spill was observed at the incident site. However, technical assessment and verification are ongoing, including the determination of possible hull breach, to ensure marine environmental protection,” Cayabyab said.

Initial investigation showed that the tanker departed Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental bound for Homonhon, Leyte when it encountered sudden engine trouble at around 1 p.m. on Jan. 10.

The master ordered the tanker to anchor but strong currents and heavy waves later caused the vessel to drift. It eventually ran aground along the shoreline of Barangay Poblacion 1 in Burgos town the following day.

The tanker was carrying about 3,500 liters of diesel fuel for its own consumption and the PCG said this is being closely monitored to prevent any possible spill.

The PCG conducted rescue operation to ensure the safety of the crew around 4 a.m. on Sunday. Nine Filipino crew members were brought ashore, including the vessel’s master.

“All crew members were in good physical condition and did not sustain any injuries,” Cayabyab said.

At around 7:50 a.m., the PCG coordinated towing operations for the grounded tanker.

The vessel’s agent began arranging for a towing boat operator and the towing plan was later carried out in coordination with the shipping company.

The PCG said monitoring will continue until the vessel is safely removed and environmental risks are cleared.

Meanwhile, the PCG also rescued 50 passengers and retrieved 250 sacks of rice from a motorboat that lost its propulsion off the coast of Gasan, Marinduque.

The distressed vessel, MBCA Emarsan, encountered engine trouble around 12 noon on Friday, Jan. 9, about 5.5 nautical miles off Barangay Bachao Ibaba. The boat captain said the engine malfunction was caused by a burned clutch lining, which resulted in a total loss of propulsion of the vessel.

The Coast Guard Sub-Station (CGSS) Gasan launched response operations after receiving a report from the boat’s purser about their dilemma. The purser contacted authorities while the vessel was en route to Gasan Pier.

A rescue team from CGSS Gasan was immediately deployed and augmented by a motorbanca that carried out a towing operation to bring the vessel to safety.

Another motorbanca was sent to assist and ensure the safe handling of the boat during the operation. The Coast Guard later escorted MBCA Emarsan to Gasan Port.

The PCG said all passengers were accounted for and were reported safe while the sacks of rice onboard were also not damaged.

The PCG said that the motorbanca was already undergoing repairs and will resume operations once the necessary work is completed.

In a separate report, the PCG said that it launched search and rescue operations to find a fisherman who went missing off Subic, Zambales.

The PCG said that the search and rescue operation for a fisherman onboard a small fishing boat named “JONAMAE” had been ongoing since Jan. 8 after his boat failed to return.

The missing fisherman was not identified but the PCG described the boat as one having a sky-blue hull which has an overall length of 5.81 meters, and a registration number of ZAM-014-2618.

The PCG said what made the search even more difficult was the alleged illegal presence of Chinese vessels inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as they blocked PCG ships from roaming around the waters.

Last Jan. 10, the PCG vessel BRP Cape San Agustin (MRRV-4408) challenged a People’s Liberation Army – Navy (PLA-N) ship with bow number “627” operating 42 nautical miles off Capones Island, Zambales while conducting search operation for the missing fisherman.

The PLA-N vessel was identified as a Type 056A Jiangdao II-class corvette and is designed for anti-submarine warfare in coastal and green-water areas. The ship has a full-load displacement of around 1,500 tons and measures about 90 meters in length and 11 meters in beam.

The PCG vessel also challenged China Coast Guard ship "3106" with an estimated displacement of 1,764 tons. It is around 100 to 110 meters long, armed with a 76mm naval gun, 30mm close-in weapon systems, heavy machine guns, and water cannons. It also has a helicopter deck capable of operating medium helicopters such as the Z-9.

“Despite the size of the PCG vessels, our professional crew would always be willing to sacrifice their comfort and safety so that the Filipino fishermen are safe and secured,” PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan said.