Coast Guard readies charges vs Chinese vessel in Mindoro collision
MANILA, Philippines — As the investigation into the collision between a Chinese cargo vessel and a Philippine fishing boat draws to a close, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is preparing charges against the offending vessel.
Vice Adm. George Ursabia Jr., commandant of the PCG, said the investigation on the crew members of Hong Kong-flagged MV Vienna Woods is finished and lawyers are getting sworn statements from the mariners who responded to the incident.
"We are now building up pieces of evidence to file criminal charges against MV Vienna Wood," Ursabia said in an interview with radio dzBB, adding that the statements from the mariners will also be included.
The PCG chief stressed that MV Vienna Woods is a large vessel and the standard operating procedure for mariners is to keep a safe distance, in this case FV Liberty 5, in case of a maritime accident.
"If the larger vessel will not go away, there is a big chance that it will hit the smaller vessel," Ursabia said in Filipino.
Initial investigation found that the Chinese vessel did not deploy a smaller rescue boat due to unfavorable sea conditions at the time. The collision off the coast of Occidental Mindoro occurred at around 10:40 p.m. on June 27 while the offending vessel sent a distress call through email to the coast guard about three hours after the incident.
According to the coast guard, MV Vienna Wood prioritized proper navigation as there were other smaller vessels in the area.
Ursabia also clarified that the Chinese bulk carrier did not commit hit-and-run, contrary to claims of some critics, as it stayed in the vicinity after the collision with FV Liberty 5.
"MV Vienna Wood did not commit hit-and-run. They went away to achieve a safe distance. After that, they noticed that there are seven vessels that responded to the capsized vessel," Ursabia said.
MV Vienna Wood reportedly detected FV Liberty 5 and another fishing vessel. The collision with the Philippine fishing boat happened when the Chinese ship maneuvered to avoid it but they were too late, according to the PCG chief.
Shift to search and retrieval operations
After three days of search and rescue operations for the 12 missing fishermen and two passengers aboard the fishing boat, the PCG will be shifting to search and retrieval operations.
The coast guard earlier said the 14 missing Filipinos might have been trapped under the boat when it capsized due to the impact from the Chinese vessel.
Ursabia told radio dzBB that the shift to search and retrieval operations is usually done after three full days without any sign of life.
"But we are not losing hope. Miracle is reality. There is a possibility that they are still alive," Ursabia said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The coast guard will be conducting search and retrieval operations for the next two days and they will decide by Sunday whether to extend or terminate the operation.
The PCG, along with the PCG Auxiliary, stands ready to provide assistance to the families of the missing fishermen, Ursabia said.
The Philippine Coast Guard deploys two aerial assets for aerial search at the vicinity waters of Occidental Mindoro for 14 missing Filipinos.
The coast guard activates the mission to rescue 12 missing fishermen and two passengers aboard fishing vessel FV Liberty 5, which collided with Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship MV Vienna Wood early Sunday.
"MV Vienna Wood departed from Subic, Zambales going to Australia, while FV Liberty 5 departed from Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi going to Navotas Fish Port, Metro Manila when the maritime incident occurred," the PCG says.
The families of the 12 fishermen and two other passengers of FV Liberty 5 who went missing after a collision with a Hong Kong-flagged cargo vessel have agreed to an amicable settlement.
Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Adm. George Ursabia Jr. says the stakeholders of MV Vienna Wood and FV Liberty 5 will hold a formal settlement for the damages caused by the collision in the vicinity waters off Occidental Mindoro on June 27.
Family members of the 14 Filipinos who went missing will receive P1 million each from MV Vienna Wood. Irma Fishing and Trading Inc., the owner of FV Liberty 5, will receive a settlement amount of P40 million from the Chinese vessel to cover the cost of the distressed fishing vessel.
The Philippine Coast Guard files criminal charges against the shipping company, master and officers of Hong Kong-flagged MV Vienna Wood more than a week after its collision with Philippine fishing boat FV Liberty 5.
PCG spokesperson Armand Balilo said at least four individuals were charged with reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and damage to property before an Occidental Mindoro court.
Vice Admiral Georga Ursabia Jr., commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, says they are now "building up pieces of evidence" to file criminal charges against Hong Kong-flagged cargo vessel MV Vienna Wood.
"The investigation on the crew members of MV Vienna Wood is now finished. Our lawyers in Mindoro are now getting sworn statements from the fishermen who responded," Ursabia says in an interview with radio dzBB.
After three days, the coast guard has concluded its search and rescue operations and will be shifting to search and retrieval operations.
The Philippine Coast Guard says the 14 missing fishermen and passengers of FV Liberty 5 might have been trapped under the capsized fishing boat.
The coast guard says he depth of the vicinity waters is approximately 2,000 meters while technical divers may only reach 100 meters depth. Search and rescue operations of BRP Boracay, BRP Malapascua and MCS 3009 are still ongoing.
"We are currently waiting for updates from our deployed teas. We are also coordinating with PCG Station - Batangas to provide more details," the coast guard says in a message to reporters.
Fisherfolk group Pamalakaya says the initial report of the Philippine Coast Guard is enough to sue Hong Kong-flagged MV Vienna Wood.
Initial report from the coast guard revealed that the Chinese cargo vessel did not make any effort to rescue the 12 fishermen and two passengers who went missing after the boat collision.
"The PCG report says it all; despite the ship being in compliant with the navigational standards and capable of rescuing the 14 fishing crews, they left the helpless fishers to uncertainties," Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap says.
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