Oil leak slower but not yet plugged

OIL continues to seep from the sunken MV St. Thomas Aquinas but technical divers were able to plug a total of eight oil leak sources after three days of work.

This was reported yesterday by Weniel Azcuna, Cebu Station commander of the Philippine coast Guard.

This has slowed down the release of oil from 300 liters per hour during Wednesday’s dive to half that volume at 150 liters the next day.

Commodore William Melad, chief of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Central Visayas, said the technical divers and experts from the Malaysian firm hired by 2Go were able to slow down the flow but efforts continue to cover the holes.

The oil spill has destroyed over 300 hectares of mangroves in a dozen barangays of Cordova and Lapu-lapu City, and affected fishing and the marine environment there, as well as cities of Talisay and Cebu.