ILOILO CITY – Traces of oil leakage from the sunken vessel owned by Seaford Shipping Lines were spotted yesterday morning in the coast off San Pedro, San Jose, Antique.
Local government officials and the Philippine Coast Guard are working to address the problem before it worsens.
They are also looking for oil dispersants to prevent environmental damage in the shoreline of Antique and the PCG-Western Visayas has already sent oil spill booms to the area to help contain the oil leakage.
The PCG said that, apart from the 7,000 liters of crude oil, the ship is also loaded with 35,000 bags of cement and was on its way to Culasi, Antique when it sank 11 a.m. Sunday, a nautical mile away from the shore of San Pedro in San Jose town.
The PCG has received information that the vessel developed damage on its hull when it hit a hard rock along the way and rushing waters started to penetrate the ship before its gradually sunk.
Crew members of the vessel came mostly from Iloilo and Negros Occidental and its skipper is Mario Mula from Escalante, Negros Occidental. The PCG-Western Visayas identified the 17 surviving crew members as Nicolas Canencia of Concepcion, Iloilo; Dennis Ambong of San Miguel, Iloilo; Ricardo Ganine Jr., Guimbal, Iloilo; Mark Ace Trugane, Tigbauan,Iloilo; John Santander, Oton, Iloilo; Rogelio Caalem, San Miguel, Iloilo; Jose Galan, Iloilo;
Angelo del Rio of Pulupandan, Randy Saludo of Isabela, Rommel Luvino of Silay City, Richard Wenceslao, Silay City, Dexter Agabon of Silay City, Norman Jagulina, Manapla, all from Negros Occidental and John Mark Alet of Bacolod City.
Other crew members were Ernesto Porcia of Carcar, Cebu; Bryle Molo, Panabo City; Ronald Ginerales who serve as the ship escort from Lugait, Iligan City.
The crew members survived by abandoning the vessel before it sank.*PNA
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