Tanker captain: Don’t look at me

The captain of the MT Solar I denied yesterday any liability in the sinking of the vessel off Guimaras island last Aug. 11, a disaster that has created the country’s worst oil spill.

Yesterday, the special Board of Marine Inquiry opened an investigation into the Solar I sinking. The vessel’s captain, Norberto Aguro, denied Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) suspicions that the cause was human error.

He blamed the sinking on unexpected strong waves that battered and then surged into the vessel.

Aguro insisted he made no error in judgment when he decided to continue with the voyage even though the Solar I had earlier tipped to one side.

"There was no typhoon during that time so I decided to sail on. But as we passed through the south of Guimaras, we again encountered huge waves," he told the panel.

As ill-equipped emergency crews and villagers struggle with the cleanup, the spreading oil slick that has darkened over 220 kilometers of coastline has brought a new menace: air pollution.

Two villages in the town of Nueva Valencia on Guimaras yielded high levels of possible toxic components of bunker oil in an initial air sampling conducted by the Department of Health (DOH) last Sunday.

Health officials are still determining if an evacuation is necessary.

Aguro acknowledged that on Aug. 10, he had noticed that the Solar I was slightly leaning to the right after being battered by huge waves west of Antique near Naso Point.

When they reached the Iloilo anchorage at around 1:30 a.m. the following day, they found that seawater had surged through an air ventilator damaged by waves and had flooded some of the tanker’s compartments.

But the ship was not able to drop anchor because the windlass had short-circuited during the trip. The 18-member crew then drained the seawater with a pump. At around 9 a.m., the Solar I was again underway.

The PCG maintained that the vessel was already in peril at that point and Aguro’s move to continue was a "lapse in decision" that led to the sinking.

"If the weather was bad, I would have decided to stop over the anchorage area," Aguro said in his defense when questioned by the board about his decision.

A few hours after the tanker passed through Guimaras Strait, the crew observed the ship was again listing to starboard (right) by about 10 degrees.

Aguro decided to return to the Iloilo anchorage and ordered a turn to the right.

"I was sleeping at that time. The crew only woke me up and told me the ship was listing again," he admitted.

But an hour later, more seawater had surged into the vessel, and Aguro gave the order to abandon ship.

The Solar I was last seen at 16.5 nautical miles south southwest of Luzaran Point in Guimaras island.

Aguro also admitted his certificates to operate tankers had expired in 2002 and his training was limited to chemical tanker operations as earlier found by the maritime board.

He dismissed reports that he lacked the qualification to skipper a fuel tanker, arguing that his 25 years of seamanship was more than enough.

"That is wrong. I have been doing this for 25 years and I’ve been all over the world. I am qualified," he claimed.

Aguro also believes he did not need specialized training in oil tanker operations, which he argued was only a recent requirement of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

The SBMI earlier found that Aguro’s certificates in general tanker familiarization and advance training on chemical tanker operations were expired.

Aguro’s lack of special training in oil tanker operations was a violation of a Maritime Industry Authority circular.

It was found that four of the crewmen also had expired certificates: radioman Herminio Renger, pumpman Jesse Angel, oilers Reynaldo Torio Jr. and Victor Morados.

Aguro pointed out that Petron Corp., the owner of the two million liters of bunker fuel in the tanker, approved of the voyage under his command and did not require certification in operating tankers.

The inquiry is trying to determine if anyone should be held liable for the oil spill that wreaked havoc on at least 98 coastal villages on Guimaras alone. The Senate is conducting its own inquiry and the Department of Justice has formed a task force to find out if criminal charges are warranted. Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez gave the panel 30 days to submit its recommendations.

While both Petron and Sunshine Maritime Development Corp., owner of the Solar I, maintained that they could not be blamed for the oil spill, the companies reportedly vowed to pay for the damage to the environment and to fishing villages.

Air pollution

Inspectors from the Department of Health have found high levels of possible toxic fumes coming from the oil spill in at least two villages in the town of Nueva Valencia on Guimaras, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III disclosed yesterday.

He said levels of benzene, toluene, ethybenzene, xylene and hydrogen sulfide found in barangays Kabalaghan and La Paz in that town were "alarmingly high."

Duque said he might recommend an evacuation — especially of children, elderly and pregnant women — in oil spill-affected areas if the situation continues.

"Besides, those with pre-existing conditions such as respiratory, cardiac, kidney or neurological disorders, among others, are also at risk," he noted.

So far, only one man had died of myocardial infraction last Aug. 16 while four others were hospitalized due to various oil-spill related illnesses.

At least 29 residents treated by health personnel have complained of dizziness, headache, cough, difficulty of breathing and chest pain.

"Many chemicals in bunker oil are potentially toxic and therefore we must constantly monitor the affected communities," Duque said, noting that health experts are aware that acute and mild skin irritation can lead to something chronic and severe like cancer and leukemia.

An estimated 4,000 households were affected by the oil spill. Duque warned those involved in cleanup efforts to wear protective masks, gloves and boots.

"The DOH will continue to stand on guard and continue our health and environment monitoring. We are impatient as everyone in finding the solutions for this disaster before they cause greater suffering to affected communities," he added.

Meanwhile, President Arroyo has ordered the upgrading of the PCG’s capability to address maritime disasters and directed the DOTC to issue tighter guidelines for private companies handling hazardous materials.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the DOTC was tasked to work with the oil industry and the maritime sector in conducting a comprehensive review of rules and regulations on transporting oil and chemicals by sea to prevent future similar incidents.

"Also, the President has directed a study to be made for the re-tooling of the PCG and programming the acquisition and provision of state-of-the-art equipment to respond effectively and efficiently in containing and addressing this kind of disaster," Bunye said.

Mrs. Arroyo has also urged coastal communities and local governments to draw up contingency plans against oil spills and similar disasters.

"Drawing lessons from the MT Solar 1 experience, coastal communities through their local government units can also be trained through the use of indigenous quick response mechanisms to prevent future oil slicks from hitting the coasts," Bunye said. — With Sheila Crisostomo, Paolo Romero, James Mananghaya