Oil leaks from sunken tanker, situation not alarming — PCG

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday disclosed that a portion of the 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil (IFO) inside the sunken motor tanker Terra Nova is currently leaking.

The PCG, however, said there is no immediate cause for alarm, as siphoning operations are expected to commence on Sunday.

In a virtual press conference, PCG spokesperson, Rear Admiral Armand Balilo, said divers of Harbor Star Shipping Services Inc., on Saturday inspected the vessel, reporting that they saw a "minimal leak" from the hatches.

"As observed, it's not yet alarming because it’s just a small volume seeping out and the tank itself is intact. We are hoping that tomorrow we will be able to start siphoning the oil from the motor tanker," he told reporters.

Minimal oil spill widens

Further, Balilo confirmed that the combined diesel and IFO are now causing a minimal “oil spill”, also confirming the aerial survey report of the Philippine Space Agency that the oil spill is now 12 to 14 kilometers wide from the previous 3 kilometers.

“It’s a combination of the operational oil of the Terra Nova and the minimal IFO that is seeping out from the small leak of the IFO tanks. Slicks are discovered. However, we already deployed oil spill booms and our three vessels poured dispersants,” according to Balilo.

On Friday, he said that if the entire volume of IFO seeped from the tanks, it would be an "environmental catastrophe" as the oil spill trajectory would affect the vicinity waters of Manila Bay, including the cities of Parañaque, Manila, Navotas, as well as the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga.

He also assured that the underwater current beneath the sinking site is not that strong enough to breach the tanker.