Towing of sunken ship would not cause oil spill

COAST GUARD SAYS Towing of sunken ship would not cause oil spill By Niña Catherine Calleja Southern Luzon Bureau SAN FERNANDO, Sibuyan Island, Philippines -- Towing the sunken MV Princess of the Stars to shore would not cause oil spill because the bunker fuel was contained in the service tank and leakage is not possible, said a Coast Guard official here Tuesday. Lieutenant Commodore Rafael Bellen, officer in charge of the Oil Spill Response Team of the Philippine Coast Guard, said the townsfolk here should be assured that the oil spill would not take place if the ship is towed. According to records, the MV Princess of the Stars was carrying 250,000 liters of bunker fuel. "Only the oil in the base tank could leak but its effect is minimal," Bellen said, noting that they have already placed an oil spill boom around the ship to... [read full story]