US diver in Sulpicio salvage sick
By Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:36:00 10/03/2008
Filed Under: Sulpicio ferry disaster, Maritime Accidents
MANILA, Philippines—An American diver was pulled out of salvage operations at the wreck of the M/V Princess of the Stars in Romblon on Friday for numbness and shortness of breath, a suspected case of chemical exposure that occurred away from the sunken vessel and its remaining toxic cargo.
John Hancock, a 38-year-old diver of salvor firm Titan, was airlifted to Manila by a Philippine Coast Guard rescue chopper Friday morning after experiencing chest pains and numbness on the left half of his face and the left arm.
Dr. Ted Esguerra, PCG flight surgeon, said Hancock was exposed to cyanide while handling a chemical called isocyanate from the firm's own stock on board a Titan vessel.
The handling accident occurred away from the water and was not related to the ongoing retrieval of toxic endosulfan inside the upturned ship.
Hancock was stable when he landed at the Medical City in Pasig before noon following an hour-and-a-half flight from Sibuyan Island, Esguerra said. He was on oxygen support throughout the trip, the doctor said.
“The patient said isocyanate was accidentally spilled onto his left forearm in their work area aboard a Titan ship. They are using this chemical for operations. After that, he experienced left-sided weakeness and difficulty in breathing,” said Esguerra.
As of press time, there was no information on how much was spilled and where Titan used the isocyanate. The chemical compound is known to be used in the manufacturing industry for paint, foams and fibers and causes asthma upon contact.
“His exposure was dermal; he absorbed it through the skin. But his exposure is minimal because, by his own account, he was able to wash if off and decontaminate himself on the spot. We know that firms like this have very strict safety regulations and they are well-trained in such situations,” said Esguerra.
He said Hancock's attending physicians at the Medical City were also looking at the possibility that the diver was suffering from acute coronary syndrome, a condition where blood vessels in the heart are constricted.
Dr. Bessie Antonio, Department of Health medical team leader on Sibuyan Island, confirmed Hancock's symptoms but said there was “no definitive diagnosis yet” on his complaints and gave no comment on the patient's chemical exposure.
“His left arm was numb and [experienced] shortness of breath. There is no definitive diagnosis yet because there's no supporting laboratory test yet. We will check if the family has a history of cardiac problems,” said Antonio when reached by phone Friday.
But with certainty, she said: “It has nothing to do with the endosulfan.”
It has yet to be ascertained exactly when the said handling accident occurred, but Antonio said Hancock consulted his complaints on Thursday, when he had been out of the water for four days.
Esguerra's team received the request for medical evacuation on Thursday evening.
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