Inanunsyo ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) nitong Sabado, Hunyo 17, na nakumpleto na ang oil removal/recovery operations sa Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, matapos ang nangyaring paglubog ng MT Princess Empress noong Pebrero 28.
Ayon sa PCG, nilahukan ng Marine Environmental Protection Commander, CG Vice Admiral Robert Patrimonio, ang PCG Incident Management Team na pinangunahan ni CG Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla, sa pagsasagawa ng final inspection nitong Biyernes, Hunyo 15.
Binigyan umano sila ng impormasyon tungkol sa huling oil removal/recovery operation sakay ng Diving Support Vessel (DSV) Fire Opal.
“Based on the ROV live videos, all eight cargo oil tanks were now empty, and the only remaining observations were oil drips from the cargo piping line,” anang PCG.
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Sinaksihan ng PCG kasama ang Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), at Oriental Mindoro LGU ang final oil removal/recovery operation ng salvage company.
“During the inspection and briefing, the Malayan Towage and Salvage Corp. (MSTC) assured the PCG of completing the oil removal/recovery operations by showing all eight cargo oil tanks and the ship's operational tank with no trace of oil,” saad ng PCG.
“The DSV Fire Opal was chartered by the MSTC and contracted by the Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Insurance Club, Shipowners Protection Mutual,” dagdag nito.
Sinimulan umano nito ang oil removal/recovery operations noong Mayo 29, at mayroon itong 20 araw upang maisakatuparan ang layunin nito.
Kasunod ng pagkumpleto ng mga operasyon ng DSV Fire Opal, sinabi ng MTSC na dalawa sa kanilang mga tugboat ang patuloy na magmomonitor at magsasagawa ng containment operations para sa langis na maaaring tumagas mula sa mga fuel pipe ng MT Princess Empress.
