Coast Guard to siphon fuel from grounded Chinese vessel in Tubbataha

(Updated 3:02 p.m.) The Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday mapped out plans to siphon the fuel from a Chinese fishing boat that ran aground in Tubbataha Reef before midnight Monday.

 

Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo said this aims to prevent the possibility of fuel spilling from the vessel and polluting the area, radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported.

 

Balilo said the removal of the fuel from the Chinese vessel will be done before the vessel itself is removed from the reef. Interviewed on GMA News TV's Balitanghali, Balilo said the Chinese vessel contained around 80,000 liters of diesel. “Based doon sa asssessment nung commanding officer ng BRP Romblon, malaking posibilidad na pag natanggal yung krudo ay ma lighten up na yung barko at pag nag high tide ay matanggal na ito,” Balilo said.

 

On Wednesday morning, the 12 Chinese fishermen aboard the grounded vessel arrived in Palawan province aboard a Philippine Coast Guard vessel.

 

A report by dzBB's James Viernes said the 12 were to undergo a medical exam at the Western Command station hospital, and then inquest proceedings.

 

The Chinese vessel ran aground before midnight Monday, three months after the minesweeper USS Guardian also ran aground the heritage site.

 

As of Wednesday morning, the Coast Guard said it is waiting for high tide to try and remove the grounded Chinese vessel from the reef. The last time Philippine authorities attempted to arrest Chinese fishermen and seize poached marine life, in April last year, an international stand-off between the Philippines and China at Panatag Shoal near the Zambales coast resulted in the occupation by China of the shoal, a situation that persists one year later. — with Andrei Medina/RSJ, GMA News