The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has responded to an oil spill incident involving the Motorized Tugboat (MTUG) Sugbo 2 in the waters off Naga Anchorage, in City of Naga in Cebu Province on September 3.
The PCG deployed three segments of oil spill boom, two bales of absorbent pads, and four segments of absorbent boom to control the oil spill.
Based on the investigation, the distressed vessel called the PCG to report that they encountered hull damage on the steering portion inside the engine room.
The crew reported that the steering room was flooded due to an approximately four-inch diameter hole at the vessel’s starboard quarter. A submersible pump was also deployed to remove the seawater inside the steering room, but the tugboat lost its power/electricity.
The crew also contacted the tugboat’s sister ship MTUG Sugbo 5, to connect its power source to the submersible pump, but he terminated the pumping operation due to the increase in the volume of water in the steering room.
Subsequently, MTUG Sugbo 7 arrived at the vicinity waters and rendered assistance, but the rate of water going in was much greater than the water they were able to pump out.
Due to the unfavorable sea conditions, the master instructed all crew on board to abandon the ship for safety before it eventually submerged.
According to the PCG, “We are acquiring additional details regarding the ‘minimal oil spill’ that they reported.”
