MikeLigalig.com

By Kit Bagaipo
Bohol Chronicle

The Philippine Coast Guard still fears of a possible oil spill around a cargo vessel that ran aground off Puntod Island near Panglao since Saturday.

The Tagbilaran Station of the Coast Guard is preparing to deploy an oil spill boom near the accident site while Marine Environment Protection Unit (MEPU) personnel are already monitoring the cargo ship 24-hours.

“MV San Padre Pio-2”, an old cargo ship carrying some 29,000 bags of cement worth P5 million, was bound for Jagna Port when it ran aground near Puntod Island, some 3 nautical miles off Panglao last Saturday.

The boat left Naga City, Cebu Friday night and got stuck in a shallow portion near the popular dive spot. Part of the ship’s hull was damaged by corals causing it to list by about 50 degrees to its starboard side.

The cargo ship is lodged close to a deep trench estimated to be 200 meters deep, according to the coast guard.

The vessel’s 21 crewmen and the captain are all safe but the cement cargo have been damaged.
Ship captain Fernando Patricio told Coast Guard investigators that the vessel encountered strong winds at about 4 a.m. on Saturday.

The skipper said he experienced zero visibility and the 248 ton boat began drifting off course until it hit a shallow portion.

The coast guard said they have already instructed the vessel’s owner Medallion Transport Shipping to immediately re-float the ship to protect the corals in the area.

According to PO1 Ursulo Arbuladora of the Tagbilaran Coast Guard, the engine room of the ship is flooded including its two cargo hulls.

MEPU is also closely monitoring the vessel as there were reports that the crewmen have unloaded its cement cargo into the sea.

The shipping firm has also started pumping out water from its engine room that could cause oil spills.

The coast guard said there were already two other ships that ran aground in the area.
As of yesterday, the coast guard was assured the ship’s owner that there is no bunker fuel or used oil left in the ship.

The owner likewise told the coast guard that the vessel was not overloaded.

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