All 20 seafarers have been rescued from a domestic tanker that sank off the Philippines.
An oil slick has been spotted where the 1,100-dwt Princess Empress (built 2022) went down off Naujan in Oriental Mindoro.
The Philippines-flagged ship was loaded with 800,000 litres of industrial oil, but this cargo has not been spilt.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said the Princess Empress had departed from Bataan en route to Iloilo when its engine overheated in the early hours.
“It then drifted towards the vicinity waters off Balingawan Point due to rough sea conditions until it became half-submerged,” the PCG said.
The 4,900-dwt multipurpose Efes (built 1999), owned by Turkey’s Elkenz Denizcilik, rescued the crew, who were said to be in good physical condition.
The PCG later said the incident resulted in a spill of diesel bunkers.
“We monitored spillage of diesel fuel, not industrial fuel oil,” the PCG said.
The slick stretched over 5km and was 500 metres wide near the area where the tanker sank.
Argie Gicanto, the vessel’s agent, told the PCG that two tugs were being deployed by the owner, with an oil spill boom used.
Footage released by the PCG showed a remotely operated machine launched by one of the tugs cleaning up the oil.
Environmental response
Environmental groups urged the government of the Philippines to end the country’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Greenpeace said: “Fossil fuels destroy biodiversity and human lives. When incidents like oil spills happen, companies are allowed to just move on, while fisherfolk and coastal communities bear the brunt of the consequences.”
Life vests, rafts and other equipment from the ship were later recovered.
The ship is owned by Manila-based RCD Reield Marine Services.
The PCG was also monitoring the grounding of another cargo vessel named as the Manife V on 26 February, north of Lubang in Occidental Mindoro, 110 metres from the shore.
All 14 crew were evacuated from the ship.
