Sunken dredger towed to Bataan – Coast Guard

MANILA, Philippines — Three days after it sank in the waters of Corregidor Island, the dredger vessel MV Hong Hai 189 was towed to Mariveles, Bataan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said yesterday.

In a statement, the PCG said it monitored the motor tugboat MTUG Tirad Pass safely tow the Sierra Leone-flagged MV Hong Hai 189 to Barangay Sisiman in Mariveles, Bataan, some 400 yards from Sisiman Lighthouse.

To ensure that there would be no oil leaking from the dredger, the PCG installed oil spill booms even if it did not observe any oil spill during its assessment.

Hong Hai 189 was also towed because of safety reasons, to remove obstructions to other vessels passing through Corregidor Island, according to the PCG-National Capital Region (NCR).

“The PCG facilitated the towing of the capsized vessel MV Hong Hai 189 as part of a safety endeavor in removing hazards along the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the approaches of Manila Bay and as a mitigating measure for oil spill,” the PCG-NCR said.

In the evening of April 28, MV Hong Hai 189 collided with the Marshall Island-flagged chemical/oil tanker MT Petite Soeur near Corregidor Island.

Of the 20 crew members of MV Hong Hai 189, the PCG said 16 were rescued, two of whom were brought to the Bataan General Hospital, where one later died.

“The person had a head injury, but we do not know what caused the injury,” PCG spokesman R/Adm. Armand Balilo said.

There were two other fatalities, one of whom may have drowned, while another had been found under the sunken dredger.

Last Sunday, the PCG terminated the dive search for the two missing crew members of the dredger, but maintained its floating assets to continue with search operations.

The agency has also sought the assistance of nearby coastal barangays and issued Notice to Mariners to alert all passing ships near Corregidor Island to be on the lookout for the two missing crewmen.

Meanwhile, Petite Soeur has been anchored in Mariveles, Bataan since the incident. It has been detained and would not be allowed to leave until it has been cleared of any liability or responsibility in the sea mishap. The vessel’s 21 crewmen are in good physical condition.

The tanker reportedly had 150,000 liters of diesel oil onboard. It did not sustain any damage as a result of the collision.