Diving survey near sunken ship site

Coast Guard personnel and divers of the 2Go Shipping Co. will conduct a dive survey on the company’s sunken MV St. Thomas Aquinas next week.

William Melad, Coast Guard Central Visayas station commander, said the whole-day survey will asses the condition of the vessel which sank off Lawis Ledge in Talisay City last August.

“There is a possibility that the ship is now covered with soil underwater after (last year’s) series of calamities happened,” he said.

Melad said the survey will help determine how they could proceed with the salvaging of the vessel.

Melad said 2Go will hire the salvor company. He said there were no deadlines set on 2Go for the salvaging operation.

“As of now the vessel doesn’t pose hazards to vessels but in the future it will be,” Melad said.

The containers are still intact and there are still debris left inside the ship. Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag