Salvage job on 'Princess' delayed due to 'bad weather'

MANILA, Philippines - The salvaging operation of the capsized MV Princess of the Stars will be delayed by at least a week, the firm contracted to do the job has said. The contractor blamed Friday bad weather condition in the Philippines for the setback. Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported Friday that Coast Guard chief Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo was dismayed over the delay, as the pre-positioning of equipment for the operation was supposed to be completed this week. Salvage firm Titan and its local counterpart Harbor Star failed to bring in their salvage equipment, many of them still in Singapore, due to recent weather disturbances. The report said Titan, contracted by MV Princess of the Stars owner Sulpicio Lines Inc. for the salvage job, asked for more time, as its other equipment are still in Singapore. Citing a new timetable given by Titan, Tamayo said the prepositioning of the equipment may be delayed to Sept. 9. The salvage work was supposed to start on Sept. 1, with the salvage firm first extracting endosulfan and chemicals from the capsized vessel. After that, divers can resume looking for bodies of passengers trapped inside the vessel, which capsized amid big waves brought by Typhoon Frank last June. - GMANews.TV