MANILA, Philippines — A Philippine oil tanker, the Terra Nova, sank in Manila Bay early Thursday after being hit by large waves. The coast guard is now assessing whether the vessel is leaking oil, which could result in a significant spill. They successfully rescued 16 out of the 17 crew members during a nighttime operation, officials reported.
The Terra Nova had departed from Bataan province, heading towards Iloilo province with approximately 1.4 million liters (370,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil in watertight tanks. The tanker faced massive waves and began taking on water. Despite efforts to steer it back to port, the ship ultimately sank shortly after midnight, according to coast guard spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo, who relayed accounts from the surviving crew.
This incident occurred after days of heavy monsoon rains and an offshore typhoon, which caused landslides and flooding throughout the Philippines, resulting in at least 22 deaths and displacing over half a million people.
An aerial survey identified an oil spill about 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) long near the rough waters where the tanker sank. However, Balilo noted that this spill might be from the fuel used to power the tanker’s engine, not the larger quantity of fuel it was transporting.
The coast guard vessel BRP Melchora Aquino is currently in the area, more than 6 kilometers (about 4 miles) from Bataan’s coast, searching for the missing crew member and conducting an initial assessment of the tanker’s cargo. Balilo mentioned that preparations are underway to manage a potential major oil spill.
“There’s a significant risk that Manila could be affected, especially its shorelines, if the fuel leaks since this incident occurred within Manila Bay. This is part of our contingency planning,” Balilo stated. “The impact on the marine environment would be severe.”
Balilo also mentioned that the tanker sank at a relatively shallow depth of 34 meters (111 feet), raising the possibility of siphoning off its fuel oil cargo. This delicate operation could take about a week and might help protect the waters around Bataan and Manila Bay from environmental, social, economic, financial, and political damage.
While Balilo did not confirm if the tanker had been located on the seafloor, he emphasized that the status of its cargo remains unclear. He compared the potential spill to a previous incident in February last year when another Philippine oil tanker, carrying a smaller amount of fuel, sank off Oriental Mindoro province. That spill took three months to contain, causing extensive damage to coral reefs and mangroves and affecting thousands of fishermen and beach resorts in at least six provinces.
Manila’s shoreline is a major hub for tourism and business, housing the main seaport, a historic public park, the U.S. Embassy, and upscale hotels and restaurants. Land reclamation projects are also underway in the bay to create space for entertainment and tourism complexes, including casinos. Despite its long-standing pollution issues, Manila Bay is renowned for its picturesque sunsets.
The United States and Japan previously assisted the Philippines with cleanup and rehabilitation efforts following the last major oil spill.
Source: AP
