PCG eyes remotely operated vehicle to retrieve sunken ship in Masbate

MANILA, Philippines—Commmodore Aaron Reconquista, Philippine Coast Guard-Bicol chief, said Tuesday they are looking at using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) as efforts continue for the retrieval of the sunken M/V Lady of Mt. Carmel, as well as its seven missing passengers.

“Ang alam lang natin ay napakalalim talaga ng pinagkakalagakan ng barko . . .[so] ano ba ang mga kakailanganin at anong mga information ang maibibigay sa atin niyan (What we know is the sunken ship is in a deeper portion of the seabed, so [we’re looking at] things we will need and what kind of information we will have),” he said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM, noting that the vessel lies probably 1,000 to 1,300 feet under.

If ever the US Navy-owned ROV will be used, Reconquista said it will help confirm the exact location of the sunken vessel.

When it sank off Burias Island in Masbate on June 14, two female passengers drowned while 61 other passengers and crew members survived and were plucked out of water.

On Monday, authorities shifted its operations to search-and-retrieval operations as hopes of finding the seven missing persons dimmed. Of the seven, Reconquista said only three were included in the ships’ manifest.

“Inaacess pa kung commensurate ang efforts,” he said.

For the full interview, listen to the attached audio clip from Radyo Inquirer 990AM.