Removal of bunker fuel from sunken ship completed

Philippine Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo yesterday said salvors have completed removing bunker fuel from the capsized M/V Princess of the Stars and could start determining the location of the bodies inside the vessel by next week.

However, before proceeding to the second phase of their retrieval operations, Tamayo said they need to formally terminate the first phase.

“We have asked the ship owner, Sulpicio Lines Inc., and the salvors, Harbor Star and Titan Maritime Inc., to submit a comprehensive report detailing their operations for phase one and to affirm that they have removed all the hazardous cargoes inside the ship,” Tamayo said.

He expects to receive the report tomorrow, and this will be forwarded to the Task Force of the M/V Princess of the Stars, headed by Transportation Undersecretary for Maritime Sector Ma. Elena Bautista, on Monday.

It is only then that they could be given the go-signal to scour for the remains inside the ship. – Evelyn Macairan