Sunken tanker off Bataan refloated – Coast Guard

(PCG FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — Motor tanker (MTKR) Jason Bradley, which sank off Mariveles in Bataan over a month ago, was refloated on Wednesday and will be towed to Barangay Alas-asin, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

In a statement on Thursday, PCG said authorities already conducted oil sampling from the vessel after the refloating process Wednesday afternoon.

“[T]he Bureau of Customs and National Bureau of Investigation representatives immediately conducted oil sampling on board the said vessel, facilitated by BRP Panglao,” the PCG said, citing information from the Incident Command Post.

“The vessel will be towed to the Diving Industry Shipyard, Barangay Alas-asin, Mariveles, Bataan, which is two kilometers away from its present position, prior to the conduct of a thorough investigation,” it added.

Last month, Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez revealed that MTKR Jason Bradley was involved in an oil smuggling case pending before the Department of Justice and had an existing seizure order by the BOC.

Vasquez explained that the motor tanker was caught transferring oil to smaller vessels — an activity locally called “pa-ihi.”

As part of the ongoing investigation, PCG said the vessel will be held at Coast Guard Station Bataan, following the filing of administrative charges.

Aside from MTKR Jason Bradley, two other ships sank in Manila Bay in July — MV Mirola 1 ran aground on July 31 and capsized, while MT Terranova sank off Bataan last July 25.