A LARGE ship has run aground in Caubian Island, Lapu-Lapu City early Monday morning, Nov. 10, 2025, damaging a portion of the island’s seawall.
Caubian Barangay Councilor Kathy Meyers told SunStar Cebu that the vessel, identified as the landing craft tank Golden Star 7, was swept toward the island around 4 a.m. due to high tide and strong southwest monsoon winds amid super typhoon Uwan.
Meyers said the cargo vessel appeared to have slowly drifted toward the island around 3:30 a.m. and docked at the seawall by 4 a.m.
She reported that the seawall sustained cracks and partial damage but emphasized that if the seawall had not been constructed, houses along Sitio Sidlakan would have been destroyed.
Meyers said Golden Star 7 had previously drifted between Nasingin Island and near Pandanon, Bohol, during typhoon Odette in 2021.
Since then, it had remained stranded and appeared to have been carried away again by recent weather conditions.
No oil spill
Mayor Ma. Cynthia “Cindi” Chan has directed the City Engineering Office to conduct an onsite inspection and instructed the Maritime Industry Authority and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to perform a damage assessment in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the City Coastal Resource Management Office.
Chan also ordered officials to check for any possible oil leak from the vessel, noting that Caubian residents rely heavily on nearby fishing grounds.
Meyers said personnel from the PCG inspected the area and confirmed that no oil spill was detected.
She added the area where the ship ran aground has no coral formations, only stretches of white sand along the shoreline.
Caubian Island is home to about 700 families, including households with sharers.
As of press time, there has been no formal communication with the vessel’s owner, though officials are seeking contact information to coordinate directly. / DPC