A tanker transporting nearly 1.5 million litres of industrial fuel capsized and sank off the coast of the Philippine capital on Thursday, leading to a significant oil spill, officials reported.
Sixteen crew members from the Philippine-flagged MT Terra Nova were rescued, but one person is still missing, according to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista. An oil spill has been identified, but strong winds and high waves are complicating efforts to address the situation.
This incident occurred just a day after Typhoon Gaemi intensified seasonal monsoon rains, flooding large areas of Metro Manila and its suburbs. Gaemi, which has made landfall in Taiwan, has caused three deaths and injured hundreds.
The MT Terra Nova was en route to Iloilo City in the central Philippines when it sank, leaving an oil slick extending for several kilometres. The coast guard reported that the tanker “capsized and eventually submerged,” and an investigation is underway to determine if weather conditions played a role.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo stated that the agency is “racing against time” to contain the spill. He warned that if the entire tanker’s oil were to leak, it would be the largest spill in Philippine history. There is a significant risk that Manila Bay, where the tanker sank, could be impacted. The bay is a crucial area with busy shipping lanes and is bordered by shopping malls, casino resorts, and fishing communities.
In March 2023, an oil tanker carrying 800,000 litres of industrial fuel sank off Oriental Mindoro province, affecting nearby fishing villages and coating beaches with black sludge. Residents experienced symptoms such as cramps, vomiting, and dizziness, and clean-up workers in Pola also reported feeling unwell.
Nearly 20 years ago, an oil tanker carrying approximately two million litres of oil sank off Guimaras Island. Only one of the tanker’s ten compartments leaked oil.