Batangas City, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) announced that the salvage operations for a fuel tanker that tilted in Batangas Port could take up to a week. The incident, caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, fortunately resulted in no oil spill, according to a report by 24 Oras.
Captain Airland Lapitan, acting commander at PCG Station Batangas, shared that plans are underway to either extract the fuel from the vessel or patch up and tow the tanker. The Port Authority has already submitted an underwater survey of the capsized vessel to assist the PCG with the operation.
The salvage approach will depend on the salvor’s method, which the Coast Guard will evaluate to ensure safe and effective execution. Interestingly, the same tanker was previously flagged for oil smuggling last October 16.
Despite the incident, sea trips for the Undas season were not impacted, though passenger numbers have decreased due to storm-related trip cancellations. However, some tourists, like Dutch traveler Michiel and his sons, continue to make their way to Puerto Galera for its scenic beaches.