PCG: 790 liters of oil-water mixture, 5 sacks of debris collected from MV Mirola 1

A total of 790 liters of oil-water mixture and five sacks of oil-contaminated debris were collected from grounded MV Mirola 1 in Bataan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Monday.

“As of today, 05 August 2024, the PCG recovered 790 liters of oil-water mixture and five sacks of contaminated oil debris using absorbent pads,” the PCG said in an update.

The PCG continues to conduct oil recovery and containment operations. It also monitors the oil spill booms in the concerned area.

On Thursday, oil recovery operations started for MV Mirola 1, which ran aground in the vicinity waters of Sitio Quiapo, Barangay Biaan, Mariveles, Bataan on July 31.

Aside from MV Mirola 1, the PCG is also responding to the oil spill from MTKR Terranova with 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil and MTKR Jason Bradley with 5,500 liters of diesel.

Initial cappings have sealed the valves of MTKR Terranova but presence of very thin oil sheens were still observed in the ground zero, according to PCG.

Oil spill booms are still being repositioned and maintained to control the leak, the PCG added.

On July 25, one crew member died and 16 others were rescued after MTKR Terranova capsized and sank 3.6 nautical miles east off Lamao Point in Limay, Bataan, according to the PCG.

The initial capping bags on the valves of the motor tanker will be replaced with metal caps to avoid a “disastrous oil spill” during the conduct of the siphoning operation.

According to the PCG, the fabrication of metal cappings will take seven days and their installation will take another seven days. 

“This week, the earlier attached seals made of special canvass capping bags will be replaced with a new set to avoid undue risks from wear and tear from its exposure to oil,” the PCG commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said.

After the replacement with metal cappings, the siphoning operation may start.

Of the 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil, 300,000 liters need to be siphoned to float MTKR Terranova. This would take up to seven days, the PCG said. The motor tanker will then be moved to a shallow area.

Meanwhile, the PCG and contracted salvor FES Challenger Salvour and Builders continue with their salvage operations for MTKR Jason Bradley.

Divers prepare for pipe insertion by clearing debris.

Equipment and personnel are being prepared on the site and an operational base is being set up, according to the PCG.

On July 27, MTKR Jason Bradley sank in the vicinity waters of Barangay Cabcaben, Mariveles, Bataan.

The estimated cost of damage due to the oil spill that is affecting the areas of Cavite has reached P1 billion, according to the provincial government on Saturday.

A state of calamity was declared in nine coastal local government units in Cavite due to the oil spill incident from sunken motor tanker Terranova in Bataan, according to the Office Civil Defense Calabarzon.

“'No catch” and “no sell zone” were imposed in the concerned areas. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News