Asia

Oil spill sighted off Iloilo

Manila: Fears are growing that fuel from the sunken MV Sportivo is spilling out onto shores in the Visayas, the central region of the Philippines.

The ship was anchored at the port of Iloilo and sank on Sunday morning. All 29 crew of the MV Sportivo were rescued. The cargo of 28,000 bags of fertilizer sank however.

The 663 gt ship owned by Cebu-based Seen Sam Shipping was buffeted by strong waves and its anchor dragged leading to a collision with another vessel, MV Jehan, which suffered minor damages.

The Philippine Coast Guard has since warned that fuel from the ship has started to seap out onto the Guimaras Strait. A 10 m wide oil slick has been identified and locals are scrambling to create spill booms while authorities prepare a clean up.
Residents in the area have been hit by oil spills from ship collisions in the recent past leading to huge losses for the local fishing industry.  [21/01/14]

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Ship sinks in Iloilo
 

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