PCG: Sonar equipment needed to help locate missing toxic cargos off Antique

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) wants the owner of the sunken cargo vessel MV Ocean Papa to provide a boat with sonar equipment to facilitate efforts to locate at least 24 missing container vans carrying a potentially harmful chemical. Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported Tuesday that Coast Guard Western Visayas head Commodore William Melad said a sonar-quipped vessel will help Coast Guard divers and craft already at the scene to locate the shipments. The MV Ocean Papa sank off Antique province last June at the height of typhoon "Frank." Among its cargo was a shipment of 16 metric tons of toluene di-isocyanate (TDI), which is considered a toxic cancer-causing substance used in the production of polyurethane foams and paints. A Board of Marine Inquiry - which has recently completed its investigation into the MV Princess of the Stars - has already started looking into the sinking of the MV Ocean Papa. - GMANews.TV