An oil tanker carrying nearly 1.5 million liters of industrial fuel capsized and sank near the Philippine capital on Thursday, causing an oil spill, officials said.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said 16 crew members aboard the Philippine-flagged MT Terra Nova have been rescued, but one crew member is still missing.
Bautista said the oil spill had been detected, but strong winds and high waves had hampered the authorities’ response.
This incident occurred on the second day of Typhoon Gaimei’s attack Seasonal monsoon rains intensifylarge areas of Metro Manila and its suburbs were flooded.
Gemi lands in Taiwankilling three people and injuring hundreds.
The MT Terra Nova was heading toward the central Philippine city of Iloilo when it sank, causing an oil spill that stretched for kilometers, authorities said.
It “capsized and was eventually swamped,” the Coast Guard said in a report, adding that they were investigating whether severe weather was a factor.
Manila Bay, where the tanker capsized, has busy shipping lanes and its shores are home to shopping malls, casino resorts and fishing communities.
In March 2023, an oil tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel sank off the coast of Oriental Mindoro Province.
The oil reached the shores of several nearby fishing villages, covering the beaches with black sludge.
Residents of coastal villages reported symptoms of cramps, vomiting and dizziness, and cleanup crews deployed to the affected village of Pora also reported feeling unwell.