The Philippines has delayed the extraction of fuel from a sunken tanker in Manila Bay due to concerns about an environmental disaster, as oil has started to reach the shoreline for the first time. The process of removing the 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil from the ship's storage was postponed until at least Tuesday to allow divers to seal nine leaking valves, according to Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo. The tanker went down during stormy weather near Manila on Thursday, resulting in one crew member's death and raising fears of the country's most severe oil spill to date.
Balilo informed reporters that an order was issued to seal the valves before commencing the fuel siphoning to avoid additional leaks. Despite the ongoing bad weather, the team aims to complete the valve sealing by Monday. Balilo also reported that oil has now contaminated a section of the coastline in Hagonoy municipality, approximately 40 kilometers northwest of Manila. Cleanup teams from the coast guard were deployed to the area to apply oil dispersants.
Balilo did not provide estimates on the extent of the affected beach area or the damage caused by the oil. The coast guard has cautioned that a complete leak of the cargo could lead to an environmental catastrophe and has advised a temporary halt to fishing in Manila Bay to protect public health from potentially contaminated fish. The Philippines has faced significant challenges in managing oil spills in the past, with extensive cleanup efforts lasting months following major incidents in recent years.
In a related development, another coast guard team was sent to the entrance of Manila Bay to assist in the search for several crew members of a second nearby sunken tanker. The wreckage of the MTKR Jason Bradley has been identified, and salvage operations are set to commence, according to a coast guard statement, which also noted that the vessel was not carrying any cargo. The recent sinkings coincide with heavy rainfall driven by Typhoon Gaemi and the monsoon season, which has affected Manila and its surrounding areas.
