Endosulfan retrieval from 'Princess' stalled anew
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 09/21/2008 4:56 PM
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Retrieval for the endosulfan cargo from the wreck of the M/V Princess of the Stars off San Fernando, Romblon was canceled anew Sunday due to bad weather, the task force overseeing the operations said.
Transportation Undersecretary Elena Bautista, chief of the Task Force Princess of the Stars, they deferred the initial dive supposed to start after lunchtime due to adverse weather conditions.
"Due to the adverse weather conditions, we had to stop the first dive operation because the safety of our divers and other support personnel is our primary concern," Bautista said.
"We are not sure when operations will resume," she added.
The weather in San Fernando, where the base of the retrieval operations has been set up, is also affecting the commencement of the operations.
Heavy rains the previous night caused flooding in the town. Flooding caused three bridges in the town to collapse, including the one that connects San Fernando to the rest of Romblon.
The destruction of the bridges will also delay retrieval operations as movement of personnel will be hampered, the task force said.
Strong waves also destroyed the temporary wooden pier that served as a staging point for divers going to the wreck. One of the rubber boats that bring divers and other personnel to and from the wreck was also damaged.
Personnel from Titan Salvage, the appointed salvor, and Harbor (the local partner of Titan) are reinforcing the moors of their barges to ensure that they do not hit each other or worse, slam into the wreck.
Going to and fro the wreck itself has become a challenge owing to the four to five-feet waves. "Retrieval operations will resume as soon as weather permits," Bautista said.
Stalled for second day
Sunday's postponement is already the second cancellation due to bad weather brought by tropical storm Nina (international codename Hagupit) over the weekend.
Bautista, speaking to ABS-CBN News Channel's "Prime News" Saturday, said the decision to delay the start of retrieval operations was given to Titan.
“We were supposed to fly to Romblon tomorrow (Sunday) to start the operations but the bad weather has prevented us from doing so we have given advise to the salvor of Suplicio to take all necessary precautions depending on how the effect of the typhoon will be at ground zero and if it will endanger the divers and the other people... we won't mind a little delay in the start of the salvage operations,” said Bautista.
The operations on the ill-fated vessel was supposd to start Monday with the arrival of a large barge that can retrieve the toxic chemicals in the sunken ship. An initial survey dive was supposed to be conducted Sunday prior to the start of the salvage operations.
Bautista earlier said Saturday a "big time" barge is already off Sibuyan island in Romblon province.
Bautista explained that the salvor was able to put in place the equipment earlier than planned. She said the operations would have been able to start earlier than the planned September 24 but the bad weather could move back the start to the original date of the 30-day retrieval operation.
“Everything is in place, all the equipment are there, all the experts are there and just the weather is not very cooperative . We'd rather stay on the safe side. We will make decisions as the days go by… As soon as the weather clears up we will begin the dive,” said Bautista.
Bautista said the toxic chemicals in the sunken ship, such as endosulfan, are still intact.
However, fishing is still banned within a five-kilometer radius of the wreck.
Bautista explained, however, that the fishing ban was still precautionary as no leak of the toxic chemical has been detected. She said the daily samples of the water from the area indicate that there was no contamination from the toxic chemical.
Environmental disaster
United nations and European Union experts have confirmed that five pesticides and other toxins were aboard a ferry that capsized in the Philippines in June killing hundreds of people and urged steps to prevent an environmental disaster.
The experts' report released last month said the ferry was carrying a "substantial" amount of toxic pesticides as well as 100,000 liters of fuel for its engines when it capsized on June 21.
It said that one container aboard the wreck was found to contain the pesticide Endosulfan and another the pesticides Carbofuran, Propineb, Metamidophos and Niclosamide.
The experts recommended improved monitoring of water, sediment and air to assess the risk of pollution and to coastal populations.
So far, no leakage of chemicals or oil from the wreck had been detected, EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said August 1.
"I hope that the suggestions made by our experts concerning sampling procedures, bio-monitoring and precautionary measures will help ensure that this dreadful tragedy does not also turn into an environmental disaster," he said.
United Nations expert Vladimir Sakharov said the accident underscored the need for preparedness and contingency planning for such incidents.
The bodies of hundreds of people are believed still trapped in the ferry, which ran around and capsized off Sibuyan island during a typhoon in one of the worst maritime accidents in the Philippines. With reports from Rod Macenas and Atom Araullo, ABS-CBN News, and Reuters
