MANILA – Divers are set to inspect the hull of the MT Terra Nova, a sunken Philippine oil tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil, off the coast of Manila on Saturday. This mission is crucial as authorities race to avert a potential ecological disaster, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.
The MT Terra Nova sank amid bad weather early Thursday, resulting in one crew member’s death and posing a significant risk of the worst oil spill disaster in Philippine history. Despite adverse weather conditions, divers will assess the vessel’s position and check for leaks.
“The weather is still bad but that is their goal for today, to conduct diving operations to determine the position of the ship and to check if there is a leak,” Coast Guard spokesman Rear Admiral Armando Balilo told AFP.
Should the inspection by Coast Guard divers and a private contractor be successful, siphoning operations could begin as early as Sunday. The vessel designated to transport the recovered oil is currently en route.
The Coast Guard has warned that a full leakage of the cargo would be an “environmental catastrophe.” Thus far, no leaks have been detected from the industrial fuel oil cargo, which rests 34 meters (116 feet) underwater. However, a “minimal” oil slick from diesel fuel used to power the tanker has been observed.
Oil containment booms have been deployed in preparation for the worst-case scenario. The vessel sank approximately seven kilometers (four miles) from the port of Limay, west of Manila, while attempting to return to port in bad weather.
The incident coincided with heavy rains driven by Typhoon Gaemi and the seasonal monsoon, affecting Manila and surrounding regions. The state weather service indicated that the monsoon had weakened by late Friday, offering a brief window of calmer sea conditions for cargo recovery.
The Coast Guard estimates the extraction will take at least seven days. Historically, the Philippines has faced significant challenges managing oil spills. Last year, a tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil sank off the central island of Mindoro, leading to months of clean-up efforts and severe damage to local industries. In 2006, another Philippine oil tanker sank off the central island of Guimaras, spilling tens of thousands of gallons of oil, devastating a marine reserve, and covering the coastline in black sludge.
By implementing these measures, the Philippine Coast Guard and supporting agencies aim to mitigate environmental impacts and prevent further damage from the MT Terra Nova oil spill incident.