By Raydes B. Barcia
Legazpi City – The Philippine Coast Guard in Bicol is conducting a thorough inspection of a seabed where a domestic cargo vessel ran aground in the waters off Sitio Boracay, Barangay Luneta, Barcelona, Sorsogon on Friday.
The PCG Bicol through the Coast Guard Sorsogon reported that the LCT REGENT 101 owned and operated by Southern Regent Shipping Inc. ran aground on January 20.
The vessel departed from Lazi, Siquijor on 3:00 am of January 19, 2023 bound for Lidong, Albay when it ran aground in Barcelona town.
Lt. Regeil Gatarin public affairs office spokesman of Naval Forces in Southern Luzon said that the Philippine Navy based in Capul Island detected and received the distress signal from the ship regarding the incident.
Capul Island in Northern Samar is some 26 nautical miles from Barcelona town in Sorsogon.
Immediately the Navy informed and coordinated the Philippine Coast Guard regarding the agrounding of the cargo vessel in Barcelona town.
After the agrounding incident, the Coast Guard Station in Sorsogon together with Coast Guard Sub-Station Matnog, Coast Guard Mobile team Bacon, Marine Environmental Protection Group Sorsogon in collaboration with Sorsogon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, MDRRMO Barcelona and Philippine Army Bravo Company 22IB, 9ID proceeded to the area and jointly conducted actual inspection to assess the possible damage of the vessel and of the area.
The PCG is checking the seabed of Sitio Boracay, Barangay Luneta, Barcelona, Sorsogon for possible marine damages and so as checked out the underwater hull of LCT REGENT 101 integrity for possible oil leaks in the waters of Barcelona town.
The Bicol Region is experiencing shearline for more thana month now resulting in bad weather disturbance that causes moderate to torrential rainfall causing flooding, landslides, and big waves.
As of to date, the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol reported 6 deaths due to weather disturbance. (Raydes B. Barcia)