In this handout photo received from the Philippine Coast Guard and taken on March 2, 2023, a coast guard personnel collects water sample from of an oil spill in the waters off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. – A Philippine tanker carrying 800,000 litres (211,338 gallons) of industrial fuel oil partially sank in the country’s archipelagic waters Tuesday, causing a “suspected oil spill” stretching several kilometres, authorities said. (Photo by Handout / Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — Over 24,000 hectares of coral reef may be at risk following the recent oil spill of diesel in the waters of Oriental Mindoro, marine experts said.
On February 28, the MT Princess Empress sank while carrying 800,000 liters of industrialized fuel oil.
In a bulletin issued Friday, marine experts from the University of the Philippines-Diliman College of Science Marine Science Institute (UPD-CS MSI) and other concerned agencies revealed that the affected area is around 1.5 times the size of Quezon City.
“The oil has already reportedly reached the shores of the coastal towns of Naujan, Pola, and Pinamalayan,” MSI said.
It also warned the public that the oil spill might reach the southern tip of Mindoro in a few days due to the prevalence of strong winds and waves and potentially affect Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro, and San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.
“The agencies are already looking into possible measures to address the spread of the oil, which is exacerbated by prevailing strong winds and waves. The PCG is also working to identify the kind of oil that was on the ship, which will impact the extent of the spill and the possible measures that can be undertaken,” added MSI.
“A multi-agency team, including representatives from the MSI, has been mobilized to assess and assist on-site. The experts are also considering hydrodynamic modeling to help forecast where the oil might reach given current weather conditions.”