Survey for toxic cargo retrieval from 'Princess' starts
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 09/24/2008 10:43 PM
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After almost a week of delays due to bad weather, retrieval operations for the chemical cargo entombed inside the capsized M/V Princess of the Stars commenced Wednesday.
Titan Salvage, the salvaging company contracted by the ship's owner Sulpicio Lines, and its local counterpart Harbor Star, on Wednesday started surveying the capsized ferry, located off the coast of San Fernando, Romblon.
The survey is part of retrieval operations for the chemical cargo inside the ship, which include the pesticide endosulfan and several other containers of dangerous chemicals.
The survey was done to study where the divers and their equipment would best pass through to get to the ship's cargo hold, where the chemicals are located.
Titan and Harbor Star said they will work faster to be on schedule after almost a week of delays due to rough seas.
On Tuesday, retrieval operations were delayed due to heavy downpour that also caused the collapse of two bridges connecting the town of San Fernando to the site of the shipwreck.
The only activity performed Tuesday was to check the moors connecting the "Big Time" barge, the salvaging firms' working platform beside the capsized ship, to see if these were still intact and the anchors secure.
The start of the retrieval operations was slated a week ago but were ordered deferred due to bad weather.
In a press briefing at Camp Rabago, the base camp of Titan and their Philippine counterpart, officials said the first day of actual retrieval operations will be a survey dive.
Task Force Princess of the Stars, headed by Transportation Undersecretary Elena Bautista appointed the two companies to do the salvage work with four objectives: Remove the hydrocarbons and the diesel oil; Remove the dangerous cargo, the endosulfan and the Bayer chemicals; Retrieve the remains of the crew and passengers; and remove the wreck. Rupert Ambil, ABS-CBN News
