Typhoon delays retrieval of toxic cargo

The retrieval of toxic cargo inside M/V Princess of the Stars, which capsized off Romblon, has been postponed due to typhoon “Nina,” authorities said yesterday.

In an interview with radio station dzBB, Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, Philippine Coast Guard commandant, said retrieval operations were supposed to start ahead of schedule today but were put off due to the storm.

Tamayo, Vice President Noli de Castro and Transportation Undersecretary for the Maritime Sector Ma. Elena Bautista were supposed to go to Sibuyan Island in Romblon yesterday to grace the ceremonial start of the retrieval operations.

Tamayo, however, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) advised them on Saturday not to push through with the trip to Romblon because of bad weather.

He did not say though when the retrieval operations would start.

The M/V Princess of the Stars, carrying more than 800 passengers and a cargo of the highly toxic insecticide endosulfan, sank off Sibuyan Island at the height of typhoon “Frank” (international name: Fengshen) last June 21.

More than 30 survived the disaster, while about 200 have been pronounced dead and more than 500 are still missing.

The salvaging company Titan Salvage Corp. and its local counterpart, Harbor Star, hired by the vessel’s owner Sulpicio Lines Inc. (SLI), were to start the retrieval of the hazardous cargo on Wednesday but Bautista said they would proceed with the operations ahead of schedule.

The two salvaging firms have been hired to remove the endosulfan shipment of Del Monte Philippines Inc., Bayer Crop Science’s chemicals, and the 250,000 liters of crude oil still inside the 23,824.17 gross ton vessel.

In its 4 p.m. bulletin yesterday, Pagasa said Nina gained strength as it moved toward northern Luzon.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Nina was spotted at 420 kilometers east-northeast of Casiguran, Aurora with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph.

It was forecast to move west-northwest at 19 kph.