An oil tanker flying the Philippine flag and carrying 1.4 million litres of industrial oil capsized in Manila Bay on Thursday.
An oil slick several kilometres long spread across the busy waterway. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, strong winds and high waves are hampering efforts to contain the effects of the incident.
The “Terra Nova” (120,000 dwt) was on its way to the central city of Iloilo when it sank in Manila Bay in the early hours of the morning.
“We are fighting against time and will do our best to contain the spill immediately and stop the fuel leakage,” said Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Rear Admiral Armando Balilo at a press conference. Should all the oil leak out, the incident could develop into the Philippines’ biggest oil disaster. There is a “great danger” for the coastline and the capital Manila.
16 of the 17 crew members have already been rescued, four of whom have received medical treatment. The search for the last member is being hampered by the local weather conditions.
The “Terra Nova” sank after heavy rainfall caused by Typhoon Gaemi and the seasonal monsoon. The Coast Guard also ordered an investigation into other factors that may have caused the ship to capsize.
Oil slick continues to spread
The oil slick is currently around 4 km long. The coastguard reported that strong currents have carried the leaking oil easterly and north-easterly. Employees of the Environmental Protection Agency have been mobilised to help contain the disaster.
As recently as February 2023, one of the worst oil spills in the Philippines occurred when a tanker carrying 800,000 litres of industrial oil sank off Mindoro. The oil had spread over hundreds of kilometres in waters that provide a habitat for a variety of marine life. The damage to the environment was immense; the fishing and tourism industries suffered heavy losses.
