A Japanese remote-controlled underwater vehicle has found the wreck and will assess the condition of the hull.
A leaking oil tanker that sank in the Philippines three weeks ago has been found when it reached smooth water known for its rich marine life.
The tanker was found by a Japanese remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV), Oriental Mindoro governor Humerlito Dolor told reporters. It is almost 400 meters (1,300 feet) below the waves.
Dolor said he received the first photos Tuesday morning showing the ship’s exact location. Plugging the leaks and removing the remaining oil from the tanker was urgent, he added.
The national disaster agency said the ROV would assess the condition of the hull before making a decision on how to “control the spill from source.”
The MT Princess Empress was carrying 800,000 liters (210,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil when it sank off the central island of Mindoro, south of the capital Manila, on February 28.
Diesel fuel and thick oil from the ship have since polluted the waters and beaches of Oriental Mindoro province and other islands.
Thousands of people have been affected by the spill and many have become ill. Thousands of hectares of coral reefs, mangroves and seaweed could be affected.
The Philippines has asked several countries for help to contain and clean up the oil spill. Japan and the United States have sent teams of Coast Guard personnel to assist.
Volunteers in PPE clean up the oil spill (Eloisa Lopez/Reuters)
Cleanup operations
Oil spills made from hay, human hair and other material have been deployed to protect coastal waters, which people in the fishing and tourism industries rely on for their livelihoods.
Oil has been spotted as far as Casian Island, off the north coast of the western island of Palawan, about 350 km southwest of where the tanker sank.
As feared, the oil has also drifted north into the Verde Island Passage – a busy shipping lane between Mindoro and the Philippines’ main island of Luzon.
Environment Minister Maria Antonia Loyzaga previously said the area was “recognized worldwide” for its marine biodiversity.
The Philippine Coast Guard said cleanup operations on Monday removed oil from the shores of three villages on Verde Island, which is popular with divers.
Oil has been spotted further down the passage near Tingloy township on Maricaban Island, part of Batangas province.
Residents and Coast Guard personnel cleared oil-covered seaweed and other debris from affected areas. Those worst affected include fishermen who have been ordered to stay ashore until they can fish safely.
