Two ships sink in Philippines in seperate incidents
January 24, 2012
Two cargo vessels sank off the Philippines within hours of each other at the weekend, with 32 seafarers having to be rescued by other ships and fishermen, the Philippine Coast Guard said yesterday.
The first vessel, Sun Spirit, registered in Panama, sent a distress signal late on Saturday afternoon after it began to sink off the island province of Catanduanes in the Bicol region.
Coastguards said the vessel with 14 crew aboard, comprising 12 Indonesians and two South Koreans, including the captain, was sailing for China with a cargo of iron ore and sand from Leyte province in the Visayas, when it ran into trouble.
The distress signal from the vessel was picked up by the Philippines navy, and naval and coastguard units launched search and rescue operations without result, until until it was confirmed that the crew had been rescued, 11 by a passing ship and three by fishermen.
Then, in the early hours of Sunday, a Philippines-registered cargo ship carrying 35,000 bags of cement sank off the capital town of San Jose in Antique province.
The 18 crew members of the Seaford 2, including the captain were rescued by fishermen, according to the San Jose police chief.
The vessel was carrying around 7,000 litres of diesel fuel in its tanks when it sank.
Oil spill control booms and other equipment were deployed as part of contingency measures against an oil spill.
A spokesman said the coastguard would also seek assistance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to determine the possible effects on marine life of the 35,000 bags cement in the water.
Investigations are under way into what caused the vessels to founder.
Courtesy of IFW
