Web Desk
Officials in the Philippines believe they have located the location of a tanker that sank off a central province last week. The leaking oil tanker has since coated nearby shorelines in thick sludge, threatening areas of rich marine biodiversity and sparking reports of health problems among people of the area who have reported experiencing cramps, vomiting, and dizziness.
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.
The officials raced to assess the extent of the oil spill that has prompted a fishing ban and to contain further environmental damage.
The country’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reportedly said it “may have detected the possible site where the vessel is actually located”, adding that the site was about 400 meters below the surface, off Oriental Mindoro province.
The country’s environment ministry, however, said in a statement that the information still needed to be verified.
According to DENR, the site is located northeast of Pola, Oriental Mindoro, and the vessel is believed to have moved southeast from its last known position where it submerged.
After the tanker sank off on Tuesday, a passing cargo ship rescued the 20 crew onboard. However, the tanker’s cargo, of about 800,000 liters 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. Because of the oil spill, some 88,958 acres of coral reefs, mangroves, and sea grass are also at risk. Oil can kill corals or impede their growth. It can also poison or suffocate wildlife, which further disrupts food chains and ecosystems.
