Browsed by
Tag: Philippines

Emerald Star

Emerald Star

 

Emerald Star

The 190 meter long, 33205 dwt bulk carrier Emerald Star foundered some 150 nautical miles east of the coast off Cagayan, Philippines. The Emerald Star had departed from Buli, Indonesia with a cargo of nickel ore and 26 crew bound for Lianyungang, China.

While passing through the Luzon Strait, it encountered rough seas due to proximity of Typhoon Odette.  The conditions caused the cargo to liquefy and the bulk carrier lost stability. The crew of the Emerald Star was able to sent out a distress call before the vessel capsized and sank.

The Japanese Coast Guard launched a search and rescue operation. Two boats and three aircraft were dispatched to search for survivors. Four nearby vessels joined the search operations. These nearby vessels were able to rescue 15 crew from the water.

Reports state 11 crew were still reported as missing. Search operations had been hampered by bad weather. An oil slick is visible around the area where the Emerald Star sank.

 

Maria Matilde

Maria Matilde

Maria Matilde
Philstar.com

The 73.5 meter long, 422 dwt ro-ro ferry Maria Matilde struck the island of Tablas, Philippines. The ferry had departed from Odiongan bound for Romblon Island with 251 passengers. The ferry was in heavy rain as it passed through the Tablas Strait and struck a large rock formation off Tablas Island. The bow of the ferry sustained severe damage above the waterline. Reports state 87 passengers sustained injuries  with several having major injuries. The injured were taken to Romblon by rescuers for treatment. Four vehicles sustained damage by the impact.

There are multiple and conflicting reports to the cause of the incident. One report states the vessel had suffered steering failure while another states an error with the navigation system resulted in the allision. All accounts state visibility was limited due to the heavy rains.  The Philippine Coast Guard has launched an investigation into the incident.

 

Fortuner

Fortuner

Fortuner

The 68 meter long, 2323 dwt cargo vessel Fortuner sank off Talisay City, Cebu, Philippines. The Fortuner was carrying a cargo of steel bars when if suffered structural failure and developed a crack amidships. The vessel pumps were no use  as the water ingress quickly flooded the holds. The crew alerted authorities and were able to evacuate the ship. All 22 crew were later rescued by the nearby MTUG 38. The cargo vessel sank sank 2 hours later. The Fortuner rests in 30 meters under the surface some 2.2 kilometers from shore.

Authorities report spotting a 25 meter oil sheen on the surface. The Coast Guard deployed an oil boom around the spill and will monitor the area for any additional pollution released. The Fortuner had some 4000 liters of fuel on board at the time of the sinking.