Officials in the Philippines believe they have located a leaking oil tanker that sank last week and has since coated nearby shorelines in thick sludge, threatening areas of rich marine biodiversity and sparking reports of health problems among local residents.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it “may have detected the possible site where the vessel is actually located”, adding that the site was about 1,200ft (400 metres) below the surface.
The site is located north-east of Pola, Oriental Mindoro, and the vessel is believed to have moved south-east from its last known position where it submerged, the department said.
The MT Princess Empress sank on Tuesday off the coast of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro province, after it experienced problems with its engine and began to drift due to rough seas.
A passing cargo ship rescued the 20 crew onboard. However, the tanker’s cargo, of about 800,000 litres of industrial oil, has leaked, as has the fuel that was powering its engine. The oil has been detected in coastal waters near more than 60 villages, and sandy white beaches in several areas have been coated in foul-smelling sludge.
The DENR said it would deploy a remotely operated vehicle to determine where the vessel is and to model the way in which oil is leaking. This process, however, will require favourable weather and currents.
About 36,000 hectares (88,958 acres) of coral reef, mangroves and sea grass could be threatened by the oil spill, according to marine scientists at the University of the Philippines.
The incident has also jeopardised the livelihoods of thousands of fishers, who have been forced to stay ashore because the waters are too dangerous, as well as the incomes of communities who depend on tourism.
In Pola town, 14 people became ill with cramps, vomiting and dizziness after the spill, according to a report by the broadcaster ABS-CBN, which said officials were monitoring the air and water toxicity. A curfew has been imposed for people under the age of 21 in the town, and a state of calamity declared.
The Oriental Mindoro governor, Humerlito Dolor, told a briefing on Monday that he would seek compensation for the damage and other expenses.
“Let me assure you, the damage done directly on the environment and on our people’s livelihood will be given corresponding compensation depending on what is stipulated in the compensation guidelines,” he said.
The governor was speaking at a briefing with representatives of the tanker owner, RDC Reield Marine Services, and contractors hired for the cleanup operations.
The tanker’s owner has contracted two local agencies, Harbor Star Shipping Services and Malayan Towage and Salvage Corp, for the cleanup.
Rodrigo Bella, vice-president of Harbor Star, said the weather conditions had made their work difficult. “If sea conditions are bad, it is also unsafe for our contractors to work,” Bella said.
The two contractors would shoulder all expenses initially, including paying residents hired for cleanup jobs, Dolor said.
The national government has also pledged to hire locals under a scheme to assist those whose livelihood has been affected by temporary fishing and swimming bans in affected areas.
