DOTC moves to minimize US ships' damage to Tubbataha

MANILA, Philippines - Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya on Wednesday assured the public that preventive measures are now being undertaken within the site of the stranded US minesweeper USS Guardian at Tubbataha Reef in Sulu Sea to minimize any further environmental damage due to the incident.

 

"Measures are being done to contain damage to corals, monitor possible oil spillage, and assess damage to the vessel. As of now, there is no indication of an oil spill, and the ship’s fuel tanks appear intact," Abaya said.

 

Transportation Undersecretary Eduardo Oban Jr. went to the site to oversee the salvage efforts being conducted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in coordination with the US Navy, the Philippine Navy, the Marine Environmental Palawan Unit (MEPU) and the Tubbataha Management Office.

 

A team of PCG divers conducted water sampling and checked the reefs to visually inspect possible presence of spilt oil within the vicinity.

 

Based on the PCG's report as of 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Coast Guard personnel have secured video clips and photographs of the current state of the USS Guardian.

 

A second group of PCG divers was dispatched to conduct underwater survey of the starboard (right) side of the USS Guardian.

 

Last Friday, the PCG personnel operated from BRP Corregidor (AE-891) was dispatched from Manila immediately after learning of the incident.

 

The PCG personnel continue to monitor the incident zone to watch for a possible oil spill incident.

 

The Inspection Team assessed that approximately 1,000 square meters of corals have been severely damaged due to the incident.

 

An accredited salvage company has been commissioned to conduct a more detailed inspection to confirm the findings of the Inspection Team, while the MEPU will continue to perform water sampling once the USS Guardian is extracted from the site.