Philippines Coast Guard Races to Contain Oil Spill from Sunken Tanker
- A significant oil spill is extending along Manila's coast, posing a severe environmental threat.
- The spill stretches for several kilometers and continues to grow rapidly.
- Efforts are underway to contain and stop the spill to protect the coastal ecosystem.
The Philippines Coast Guard is urgently working to prevent an environmental disaster following the sinking of the MT Terra Nova, a 65-meter tanker that capsized amid severe weather conditions caused by Typhoon Gaemi. The vessel, which went down approximately 6 kilometers off the coast of Limay in Bataan province, was carrying around 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil. An oil slick measuring 3.7 kilometers has already been detected in the vicinity, raising concerns about the potential impact on Manila’s shoreline, located just 10 kilometers away. Despite the alarming situation, the Coast Guard has reported no immediate signs of a leak from the tanker’s watertight tanks. Rear Admiral Armand Balilo, spokesperson for the Coast Guard, stated that they are preparing for the worst-case scenario. Plans are underway to deploy floating barriers and suction hoses to siphon off the oil and mitigate the risk of a major spill that could severely affect the capital, which is a vital ecological and economic area. The incident has drawn comparisons to the MT Princess Empress spill in February of the previous year, which took three months to contain despite carrying significantly less fuel. The current spill is particularly concerning given the ecological importance of Manila’s shoreline, which is home to upscale resorts and diverse flora and fauna. The rough seas and heavy monsoon rains have already caused widespread devastation across the Philippines, resulting in at least 32 fatalities and displacing over 800,000 people.