Coast Guard: Oil spill spotted near sunken vessel off Pangasinan

MANILA -- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is on alert after an oil spill was spotted near the Myanmar cargo vessel that sank on waters off Pangasinan over the weekend.

The PCG Action Center in Manila said the oil spill was spotted 10 nautical miles northwest of Bolinao, where the M/V Harita Bauxite reportedly sank early morning of February 17.

An oil spill response team from the Coast Guard District Northwestern Luzon is already conducting water sampling and placed oil spill booms in the area to prevent spreading, according to PCG Marine Environmental Protection Command Chief Commodore Joel Garcia.

The PCG said the ill-fated cargo vessel was bound to Ningbo, China from Obi, Indonesia when it encountered engine trouble and experienced rolling that eventually led to its sinking at approximately 12 nautical miles from the shoreline of Bolinao.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) identified the lone fatality from the incident as Myint Aung, the chief cook in the vessel that carried 24 crew members.

Two others were injured and brought to the Lorma Hospital in San Fernando City, La Union.

Seven rescued others are currently under the custody of the PCG Sual, the NDRRMC said.

The agency added that 14 others remain missing as of Monday.

The PCG said it has already coordinated with the local government of Bolinao for search and rescue operations and dispatched two rescue boats to the area for the missing crew members. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)