Philippines detects toxic spill after tanker capsize

Manila, Mar 1 (EFE).- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) detected a toxic spill near the western coast of Mindoro Island, in the center of the archipelago, where a tanker with 800,000 liters of industrial oil sank the previous day, officials said Wednesday.

“It is possible that we will find more oil patches near the sunken ship, but we will try to prevent them from reaching the coast,” coast guard officials told EFE.

The authorities noticed from helicopter a five-kilometer long and 500-meter wide oil spill, according to a PCG statement.

To control the spill, the coast guard “will use meshes with which to limit” the patch and “collect the industrial oil,” it added.

The Philippine-flagged MT Princess Empress, built in 2022, capsized Tuesday after suffering engine failure amid strong waves off the coast of Romblon, while on its way to the port of Iloilo from Bataan, in the north of the archipelago. EFE

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