Philippines Races to Contain Oil Spill After Tanker Capsizes
Authorities in the Philippines are working to remove 1.4M liters of industrial oil from a capsized oil tanker in Manila Bay as fuel from the ship's engine has already begun to spill out. The Coast Guard has set a goal of offloading the oil and containing the spill within seven days....
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Facts
- Authorities in the Philippines are working to remove 1.4M liters of industrial oil from a capsized oil tanker in Manila Bay as fuel from the ship's engine has already begun to spill out. The Coast Guard has set a goal of offloading the oil and containing the spill within seven days.[1]
- The 213-foot-long MT Terra Nova was sunk by monsoon conditions worsened by Typhoon Gaemi while sailing to the Philippine city of Iloilo. Sixteen out of 17 sailors were rescued, and the ship was found to be meeting the conditions for sailing in inclement weather.[2]
- Coast Guard spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo says that crews are 'racing against time' to siphon the industrial oil and prevent a larger spill. The oil reservoirs on board are believed to be structurally sound, and none of them have leaked as of yet.[3]
- Balilo says that the oil from the engine has caused an oil sheen that is at least 2.3 miles long. Poor weather is hampering clean-up efforts, as Typhoon Gaemi caused flooding and landslides that led to the deaths of at least 15 people in the Philippines.[4]
- The admiral says that if all of the oil were to leak, it would be the worst spill in the history of the Philippines. The MT Terra Nova is submerged at a 'considerably shallow' depth, which he says will speed up the siphoning operation.[5]
- Balilo says that an investigation into the circumstances of the accident is underway. In February last year, 800K liters of industrial spilled off the coast of Mindoro, which damaged tourism, fishing, and marine life as it spread.[5]
Sources: [1]The Straits Times, [2]BBC News, [3]Dw.Com, [4]New York Times and [5]France 24.
Narratives
- Left narrative, as provided by RAPPLER. Oil spills are a disaster in themselves, and have devastated communities in the Philippines in the past. What's worse, inclement weather caused by climate change poses a risk of spreading the contamination into freshwater sources, compounding the havoc they can wreak on humans and wildlife. The Philippines must buck the influence of the oil and gas industry and its dubious practices by ensuring that polluters pay.
- Right narrative, as provided by South China Morning Post. There is climate idealism, and then there is the hard economic reality on the ground. In the face of rising prices and tightening supply, the Philippines risks being choked by energy prices, and may even ink oil deals with its great geopolitical rival, China, in order to shore up supply. The Philippines cannot afford to draw back from its oil and gas industry in the face of these pressures on everyday people.
