02-07-2025
PCG: 6 Pinoy seafarers rescued after landing craft sinks off Romblon
Six Filipino crew members of Landing Craft Tank (LCT) San Juan Bautista are safe after the vessel sank in the waters between Romblon and Sibuyan Island last Monday, June 30, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Wednesday.
The PCG said the Filipino crew members were rescued at around 12:40 a.m. and were in good condition.
The LCT San Juan Bautista had a cargo of 2,500 liters of marine diesel when it departed from Guihulngan Port, Negros Oriental on Saturday, June 28 bound for drydocking in Navotas City, the PCG said.
The Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog (CGDSTL), however, assured that the risk of environmental damage caused by the sunken vessel is low.
'Based on the PCG's initial assessment, the risk of environmental damage in Southern Tagalog is low since the fuel is a light petroleum product that should dissipate quickly. The estimated 360-foot depth minimizes coral reef impact, and natural processes like dispersion and biodegradation further reduce the likelihood of significant shoreline or marine ecosystem damage,' CGDSTL said in a statement.
Further, CGDSTL said the sea remains clear based on the aerial surveillance conducted at around 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
'We have alerted local fisherfolk and coastal barangays and, together with the LGU of Romblon and the DENR, we have conducted coastal security and seaborne patrols to monitor traces of oil sheens. As we speak, no foul odor was detected along the coastline and nearby waters,' the CGDSTL added. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News
