No oil leaks from grounded yacht in Tubbataha Reef - PCG

There was no recorded oil spill after a tourist yacht ran aground inside the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in Palawan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Monday.

However, PCG spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said the Motor Yacht Siren 2 remains stuck to the reef, a pristine UNESCO World Heritage Site in the middle of the Sulu Sea.

“Nakasadsad pa rin po itong yate, nakapatong po ito sa may bahura. Although ngayon po ay ongoing naman po ang ating monitoring, wala po tayong nakikita na anumang oil sheen or oil spill at kahapon po ay naglatag na rin po tayo ng oil spill boom para maprotektahan din po itong area na ito,” she said in an interview in “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.”

(The yacht is still aground, it is resting on the reef. Although our monitoring is ongoing right now, we do not see any oil sheen or oil spill, and yesterday we already deployed an oil spill boom to protect this area.)

“But as we speak, wala po tayong nakikita na anumang panganib dahil wala pa tayong nakita na mga tagas po ng langis na nanggagaling po sa yate.”

(But as we speak, we don't see any danger because we haven't seen any oil leaks coming from the yacht yet.)

All 28 passengers on board the yacht-14 divers and 14 Filipino crew members- are reportedly safe, the PCG said.

“Pagdating naman po sa mga pasahero, kagabi dumating na rin po ito sa may Puerto Princesa City at na-turnover na po natin ito sa agent po ng yate at nabigyan na rin po sila ng accommodation sa may area po,” Cayabyab added.

(As for the passengers, they arrived in Puerto Princesa City last night and we have already turned them over to the yacht's agent, and they have also been provided with accommodation in the area.)

The vessel departed Puerto Princesa City on June 10 for Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, renowned internationally as one of the best diving spots in the world.

The Coast Guard said it received information regarding the incident at approximately 5 a.m. on June 14.

The PCG said the yacht ran aground after encountering a “sudden squall while moored to an anchored buoy approximately 7.2 nautical miles northeast of Tubbataha Reef.” —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA News