Philippines: Oil Spill Due to Tanker Capsize

Philippine Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista indicated today, Thursday, that "a tanker carrying industrial fuel capsized early this morning off the country's coast, causing an oil spill and the loss of one crew member." He explained that the oil tanker "MT Terra Nova" was carrying 1,494 tons of industrial fuel when it capsized near the coastal city of Limay in Bataan province, noting that 16 of the 17 crew members had been rescued, while the last member remains missing and is being searched for. Coast Guard spokesperson Armando Balilo stated in a separate announcement that an investigation is underway to determine if the maritime incident is related to the typhoon, pointing out that there was no disruption in the weather in the surrounding waters at the time of the incident.