Thousands of fishermen in the Philippines have been told to stay ashore as authorities struggled on Friday to contain an oil spill from a capsized tanker that threatened lives and the region’s rich marine economy.
Mindoro Island, south of the capital Manila, is 120 kilometers (75 miles) long and about nine kilometers offshore, said Ram Temena, head of disaster operations in the affected province of Mindoro Oriental.
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The Philippine Coast Guard is still searching for the Princess Empress, which suffered engine trouble and sank in rough seas in the municipality of Naujan on Tuesday.
It was carrying 800,000 liters (210,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil from Bataan province, near Manila, to the central province of Iloilo.
Another ship rescued the 20 crew members on board.
Oil spill concerns for the environment
Diesel fuel, which has been powering Philippine tankers, and some cargo is leaking into the sea, the coast guard said earlier, raising concerns for the environment and industries that depend on the sea.
Coast guard spokesman Armando Balilo said experts and major oil companies were being consulted on how to recover industrial fuel oil from the tanker, which is more than 400 meters (more than 1,300 feet) below sea level.
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“This is beyond the capabilities of technical divers,” Balilo told reporters.
“Secondly, we don’t have mechanical equipment, submersible, that can dive to breathe without endangering (the crew’s) lives.”
Rough seas have prevented the spread of oil spill booms to prevent toxic materials from spreading, Balilo said.
Instead, they spray a chemical dispersant on the surface of the water to break down the oil.
The amount of diesel fuel and industrial oil in the water is unknown.
The situation is “getting worse”, said Provincial Governor Humerlito Dolor.
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He has ordered the province’s 18,000 registered fishermen to stay off the coast until it is safe to fish. In the meantime, they will receive food packages.
“It’s going to have a big impact on us,” Dolor said. “Based on experience, the adverse effects on the community will be long-term.”
foul smell
About 591 hectares (1,460 hectares) of coral reefs, 1,626 hectares of mangroves and 362 hectares of seaweed could be “potentially affected” by the oil spill, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga said.
The tanker sank near the Verde Island Passage – a busy sea lane between the main islands of Luzon and Mindoro – which Loyzaga said is “globally recognized” for its marine biodiversity.
Pola Mayor Jennifer Cruz said some dead fish covered with oil have washed up on the shores of the municipality, which is one down from Naujan.
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“All of our beaches are affected by oil spills,” Cruz said.
“Before, we could smell a bad smell. It was like we were in a car repair shop.”
Coast guard personnel and volunteers cleaned the oil from the shore, some using their bare hands, and had filled several drums with toxic materials, he said.