Navy rescues oil tanker off Zamboanga Norte

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Naval Forces Western Mindanao (Navforwem) operatives have rescued an oil tanker at Bato-Tindoc Point offshore Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte province, west of Zamboanga City. Navforwem chief Rear Admiral Emilio Marayag said he immediately dispatched two Navy boats to Bato-Tindoc Point when he got the request for help on Tuesday from the owner of M/T Lapu-Lapu that got stranded following an engine trouble. Marayag said M/T Lapu-Lapu, loaded with five million liters of bunker fuel, was en route to Davao City to deliver the cargo when its engine conked out Tuesday morning. He said the rescuing Navy boats pulled M/T Lapu-Lapu to Caldera Bay offshore Zamboanga City, which is a safer area, to prevent any lawless elements from "taking advantage of the situation" while the tanker's crew were repairing the engine. He said it is also to prevent environmental disaster like an oil spill. He said that M/T Lapu-Lapu managed to continue sailing toward Davao City on the same day after the crew completed the repair of the tanker's engine. The bunker fuel is to be delivered to a power plant in Davao City. - Sun.Star