Coast Guard forms body to probe Cebu sea mishap

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has started setting up a fact-finding body that will look into the collision of a cargo vessel and a ferry near the port of Cebu in Talisay City.

Rear Admiral Luis Tuason Jr., PCG vice commandant for operations, said the Special Board of Marine Inquiry (SBMI) will determine the reasons behind the collision between the passenger ship MV St. Thomas Aquinas and MV Sulpicio Express 7 at around 9:00 p.m. on Friday.

The ferry sank after the collision. Several people have been reported as trapped inside the sunken ship.

As of noon Saturday, a total of 28 people have been confirmed killed and more than 200 passengers remained missing.

“Inihahanda na rin ang Special Board of Marine Inquiry para pagkatapos ng search and rescue operations ay kaagad na maumpisahan ang investigation kung bakit nagkabanggaan samantalang mayroon namang traffic separation scheme patungo at palabas ng channel papunta sa port of Cebu,” Tuason said in a radio interview.

Tuason added that the PCG has also started preparing an oil spill boom. He said the PCG personnel deployed in the area have observed that oil is already leaking out of the ill-fated ferry.