Tanker with 800,000 liters of oil capsizes off Romblon

MANILA, Philippines – A tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil capsized near Tablas Island, Romblon, early Tuesday, February 28, a local port official said.

The MT Princess Empress, an oil tanker, was on its way from Limay, Bataan, to Iloilo when it was slammed by strong waves near Tablas Island at around 2 am, port manager Joselito Sinocruz of Port Management Office (PMO) Batangas said in a radio interview on dzBB.

“Batay sa report, lubog talaga ‘yung barko sa lugar. May laman ho ‘yun na 800,000 liters,” Sinocruz said.

(According to the report, the boat already sank in the area. It contained around 800,000 liters.)

All 20 crew onboard the MT Princess Empress were rescued by the foreign general cargo vessel MV EFES at around 6 am, he said.

Sinocruz said the rescued crew will be brought to the Port of Subic Bay.

Authorities have yet to confirm whether an oil spill occurred, but Sinocruz said the Philippine Coast Guard has been alerted of the incident.

The Coast Guard has dispatched a marine environment protection unit to contain a possible spill.

It said in a Facebook post that it deployed BRP Melchora Aquino and one airbus helicopter to respond to the incident. – Rappler.com