PCG: Grounded MV Mirola 1 floated, to be towed to safer area

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday said MV Mirola 1 that grounded in Bataan has been floated completely and will be towed to a safer area.

“Yung isa pong barko na nabahura sa Biaan, Mariveles, Bataan ay napalutang na po natin ng buo,” PCG Bataan Station commander Lieutenant Commander Michael John Encina said in an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

(We have completely floated the ship grounded in Biaan, Mariveles, Bataan.)

“Nagka-conduct na po tayo ng towing operations ngayon para dalhin po siya sa mas safe na lugar. Doon po mas ayusin (We are now conducting towing operations to bring her to a safer place and fix her there),” he added.

According to the PCG, contracted salvor Morning Star conducted patching and repair on the hull of MV Mirola 1. It also extracted seawater for the refloating operations.

The PCG patrolled the shoreline of Sitio Bagong Sibol and Sitio Quiapo and reported no presence of oil sheen.

On July 31, MV Mirola 1—an unregistered vessel and did not have clearance before sailing—ran aground in the vicinity waters of Sitio Quiapo.

The PCG placed MV Mirola 1 under its custody to undergo further inspection and to determine if it has committed more violations.The owner of the vessel has been summoned.

Aside from MV Mirola 1, MTKR Terranova—carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial oil fuel oil—and MTKR Jason Bradley also sank off Bataan waters.

The PCG and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are looking into whether the three ships in the Bataan oil spill are involved in oil smuggling. The owners of MTKR Terranova have denied the allegation.

Due to the impact of the oil spill, a state of calamity was declared in the entire province of Bataan as well as in nine cities and towns in Cavite. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News