MANILA, Philippines — Eighteen days since the MTKR Jason Bradley sank in Bataan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday reported that the motor tanker has been partially refloated.
Lt. Commander Michael John Encina, commander of PCG Bataan station, said that after siphoning seawater from Jason Bradley, the vessel’s weight has lightened and part of it could already be seen on the sea surface.
Salvor FES Challenger Salvour and Builders began removing the seawater on Aug. 10 using pipes it attached to the submerged tanker.
“The contracted salvor will then move the vessel to the nearest safe shoreline, where the siphoning of 5,500 liters of diesel oil on board will occur,” Encina said.
According to the Maritime Industry Authority, the 38-meter Jason Bradley is owned by Boom Oil Resources Crude Petroleum Oil Extraction.
On July 26, at the height of Typhoon Carina and an enhanced southwest monsoon, the vessel sank to a depth of nine meters and 600 meters away from the shoreline of Barangay Biaan in Mariveles, Bataan.
At the time of the incident, the Jason Bradley was carrying 5,500 liters of diesel, which the tanker used as fuel. It had no other cargo.