Philippines oil spill sparks fears of environmental catastrophe | DW News

Summary

Environmental concerns escalate in the Philippines as oil leaks from a sunken tanker off Manila's coast, posing a risk of a major spill. The tanker sank in rough seas, killing one crew member. Coast Guard teams are attempting to contain the spill using sprays and containment booms, with plans to siphon remaining oil. Local fishermen fear for their livelihoods, and the Coast Guard warns of a potential environmental catastrophe if the entire cargo leaks. Efforts are being made to minimize the impact on marine life and coastal communities, as the government and authorities respond to the crisis.

Takeaways

• 🚢 An oil tanker sunk off Manila in bad weather, resulting in one death and the risk of a major oil spill.
• 📉 Approximately 1.4 million liters of oil were on board, with some of it leaking into the ocean.
• 🛠️ Coast Guard teams are using sprays to break down the fuel and plan to siphon the remaining oil from the vessel.
• 🧐 Divers are working to seal leaking valves before the oil can be removed from the sunken tanker.
• 🐟 Local fishing crews are concerned about their livelihoods and the potential death of fish due to the oil spill.
• 🚫 The Coast Guard has called for a suspension of fishing in Manila Bay to prevent the consumption of contaminated fish.
• 🌊 There are fears of an environmental catastrophe if the entire cargo of the sunken ship leaks into the ocean.
• 🛡️ Initial attempts to contain the spill using floating barriers have failed, leading to the use of containment booms and absorbent materials.
• 🔍 The Philippine Coast Guard is still verifying the extent of the spill and its impact on coastal communities.
• 🔑 The government is relying on local governments and coastal villages to report any sightings of oil reaching the shores for immediate response.
• 💪 Efforts are being made to contain the spill, with 14 valves of the tank reportedly sealed, and plans to siphon industrial fuel oil starting the following Tuesday.

Q & A

What is the current environmental concern in the Philippines?

The Philippines is facing an environmental catastrophe due to oil leaking from a sunken boat into the ocean.

What was the initial cause of the oil spill?

The oil spill was caused by a tanker sinking in bad weather off Manila, which resulted in the death of one crew member.

How much oil is at risk of spilling from the sunken tanker?

Approximately 1.4 million liters of oil on board the sunken tanker are at risk of leaking out.

What measures are being taken to mitigate the oil spill?

Coast Guard teams are using sprays to break down the fuel, and divers are attempting to seal leaking valves. They also plan to siphon the remaining oil from the vessel's hold.

What is the impact of the oil spill on local fishing communities?

Local fishing communities are worried about their livelihoods as the oil is spreading across the ocean, potentially killing the fish they depend on.

What actions is the Coast Guard recommending to prevent further environmental damage?

The Coast Guard is calling for the suspension of fishing in Manila Bay to prevent people from eating contaminated fish and is warning of a potential environmental catastrophe if the entire cargo leaks.

What is the current status of the efforts to contain the oil spill?

The Philippine Coast Guard has stopped using dispersants based on technical advice and is now using containment booms and floating booms to absorb the spill.

Is there a plan to recover the sunken tanker?

The plan is to siphon industrial fuel oil from the tank, starting on Tuesday, with the hope that the vessel will float to the surface and be recovered.

What is the potential long-term impact of the oil spill on marine life in Manila Bay?

The oil spill could significantly affect fish production and catch, with restrictions and bans on fishing in affected areas already in place.

How is the government responding to the concerns of the local fishing communities?

The government has tapped local governments surrounding Manila Bay and coastal villages to report any oil reaching the shores so that authorities can respond immediately.

What is the current estimate of the oil spill's coverage?

The Philippine Coast Guard is verifying reports about the extent of the spill, which has been observed to have reduced from 12 to 14 kilometers to about 2 to 4 nautical miles.

Outlines

00:00

🚨 Environmental Crisis Looms as Oil Leaks from Sunken Tanker in Manila

The Philippines faces a potential environmental catastrophe as oil continues to leak from a sunken tanker off the coast of Manila. The tanker sank during bad weather, resulting in the death of one crew member and the risk of a major oil spill. Approximately 1.4 million liters of oil were on board, with some leaking into the ocean. Coast Guard teams are attempting to mitigate the situation using sprays to break down the fuel and plan to siphon the remaining oil. Divers are working to seal leaking valves, and local fishing crews are urging the government to hold those responsible accountable. The impact on marine life and livelihoods is significant, with fears that fish stocks may die off due to contamination. The Coast Guard has called for a suspension of fishing in Manila Bay to prevent the consumption of contaminated fish and warns of an environmental disaster if the entire cargo leaks.

05:00

🛑 Efforts to Contain Oil Spill and Assess Impact on Marine Life

Despite initial containment efforts, the scale of the oil spill disaster has been reduced, but the impact on marine life in Manila Bay is already significant. Fishermen are concerned about their livelihoods as fishing restrictions are imposed in affected areas. The Philippine Coast Guard is optimistic about containing the spill, having sealed 14 valves, including non-leaking ones, and plans to siphon industrial fuel oil from the tanker starting the following Tuesday. The government and local authorities are on alert for any sightings of oil reaching the shores, ready to respond immediately. The hope is to prevent further spread of the oil to protect coastal communities and marine life that depend on the health of Manila Bay.

Keywords

💡environmental catastrophe

An environmental catastrophe refers to a sudden or gradual event that causes severe damage to the environment, often with long-lasting effects. In the video's context, it relates to the potential large-scale harm that could result from the oil leak, affecting marine life and coastal ecosystems. The term is used to describe the feared outcome if the sunken tanker's entire cargo were to leak into the ocean.

💡oil leak

An oil leak is the escape of oil from its containment, usually due to a rupture or failure in the storage or transportation system. The script discusses an ongoing oil leak from a sunken tanker, which poses a significant risk to the environment and marine life off Manila's coast.

💡sunken boat

A sunken boat is a vessel that has sunk in the water, often due to weather conditions, accidents, or structural failure. The video script describes a tanker that sunk in bad weather, leading to the current environmental crisis with oil leaking into the ocean.

💡Coast Guard

The Coast Guard is a maritime law enforcement agency responsible for ensuring the safety and security of a nation's waters. In the script, the Philippine Coast Guard is actively involved in attempting to mitigate the oil spill's impact by using containment booms and planning to siphon the remaining oil from the sunken tanker.

💡siphoning

Siphoning is the process of drawing liquid out of a container by creating a vacuum. The script mentions plans to siphon the remaining oil from the vessel's hold as part of the response to the oil spill, aiming to prevent further environmental damage.

💡leaking valves

Leaking valves refer to valve mechanisms that are not sealing properly, allowing fluid or gas to escape. The video script notes that divers are attempting to seal leaking valves on the sunken tanker to prevent more oil from entering the ocean.

💡fishing ban

A fishing ban is a prohibition on fishing activities in a specific area for a certain period, usually to protect marine life or conserve resources. The Coast Guard in the script calls for a suspension of fishing in Manila Bay due to the risk of contamination from the oil spill.

💡contaminated fish

Contaminated fish are fish that have been exposed to harmful substances, such as oil, making them unsafe for consumption. The script warns of the potential for people to eat contaminated fish if the oil spill affects the marine life in Manila Bay.

💡marine life

Marine life encompasses all forms of plant and animal life that live in the ocean. The video script discusses the potential devastating effects of the oil spill on marine life in Manila Bay, including the risk to fish populations and the livelihoods of local fishermen.

💡livelihoods

Livelihoods refer to the means of earning a living for individuals or communities. The script highlights the concerns of local fishing crews whose livelihoods are threatened by the oil spill, as it could lead to a loss of fish stocks and a decline in fishing opportunities.

💡environmental journalist

An environmental journalist is a professional who reports on environmental issues, often focusing on conservation, pollution, and climate change. Jesset Oano, mentioned in the script, is a Filipino environmental and climate journalist providing insights into the oil spill's impact on the environment and local communities.

Highlights

Growing fears of an environmental catastrophe in the Philippines due to oil leakage from a sunken boat.

The tanker sunk in bad weather off Manila, resulting in one crew member's death and the risk of a major oil spill.

Oil is spreading across the ocean, posing a significant threat to marine life and local fishing communities.

Coast Guard teams are using sprays to break down the fuel and plan to siphon the remaining oil from the vessel.

Divers are attempting to seal leaking valves to prevent further oil leakage.

Local fishing crews demand the government to hold those responsible accountable for the environmental disaster.

The Philippine Coast Guard is considering the suspension of fishing in Manila Bay to prevent contaminated fish consumption.

There is a warning of a potential environmental catastrophe if the entire cargo of the sunken ship leaks.

The Coast Guard initially used dispersants but has now switched to containment booms and floating booms to absorb the spill.

Reports about the extent of the oil spill are still being verified by the Philippine Coast Guard.

Photographs show oil slicks, but the government is yet to confirm the full extent of the spill's reach.

Local governments surrounding Manila Bay are asked to report any oil sightings for immediate response.

The Coast Guard is optimistic about containing the spill and has sealed 14 valves, including non-leaking ones.

Plans to siphon industrial fuel oil from the tank starting Tuesday, aiming to recover the vessel.

The potential threat to the environment includes not only the oil but also the fuel powering the vessel.

Measures are being taken to mitigate the impact on marine life and prevent further spread of the oil spill.

Fishermen are concerned about their livelihoods as the spill could affect fish production and catch.

Restrictions and bans on fishing in affected areas have been implemented to protect marine life.

The hope is to prevent the spill from spreading further and affecting more coastal communities.

Transcripts

now fears of an environmental

catastrophe in the Philippines are

growing as oil from a sunken boat

continues to leak into the ocean the

tanker sunk in bad weather off Manila on

Thursday killing one crew member and

creating the risk of a major oil

spill oil smears the ocean off manila's

Coast the fuel is spilling from a sunken

tanker which went down in rough Seas

last week some of the roughly 1.4

million liters of oil on borders leaking

out Coast Guard teams have been using

sprays which help break down the fuel

Crews plan to siphon the rest of the oil

from the vessel's hold on Tuesday at the

earliest but divers are attempting to

seal leaking valves

first local fishing Crews want the

government to hold those responsible to

account

the problem we have is that the oil is

spreading across the

ocean I hope the government finds a

solution right

away it's a big loss for us Fisher

[Music]

folk we are very worried for our

livelihoods because all of the fish that

we've been taken care of might

[Music]

die the Coast Guard is calling for the

suspension of fishing in Manila Bay to

prev prevent people eating contaminated

fish it's warning of an environmental

catastrophe if the sunken ships entire

cargo were to

leak and we can get more from jesset

oano she's a Filipino environment and

climate journalist who is based in the

capital Manila welcome to DW now we hear

that the coast guards plan to deploy

floating barriers to stop this oil from

reaching the shore has failed so can you

explain to us what this means both for

the city of Manila but also of course

for all the marine life uh off the

coast sure um so speaking to reporters

at a press conference this afternoon the

Philippine Coast Guard said that they

are stopping the dispersant that they

are they initially um placed to contain

the spill from the tanker um based on a

technical advice that it wasn't the most

effective way to contain it and in

instead what they are doing is they are

now resorting to the use of more

containment booms as well as floating

Booms that will hopefully absorb the

spill um that is coming from the sunken

tanker off the coast of Bataan um

speaking to reporters earlier the

Philippine Coast Guard said that it is

still verifying reports about the extent

of The Spill and whether it has actually

already reached Coastal communities or

even extended to large parts of Manila

Bay however we have seen photographs

from journalists and environmental

organizations and fishing groups of what

appears to be shiny black oil slicks

which as the government said they are

still confirming what we are sure of is

that the Coast Guard has said that the

government has already tapped uh local

governments that are surrounding the

Manila Bay and Coastal Villages um to

report immediately to authorities if

they see any instance of oil reaching

the shores so that the authorities can

immediately respond um based on the

press conference earlier the Coast Guard

appears to be uh positive that they will

be able to contain the spill um they

were able to seal at least 14 of the

valves of the tank um including those

that are not leaking and the plan really

is to be to begin the siphoning of the

industrial fuel oil from the tank

beginning tomorrow Tuesday and to siphon

at least 300,000 L of oil for about a

week's time so that hopefully the vessel

will flow to the surface and it will be

recovered and uh taken back to the shore

okay so from what you're saying there's

a lot of effort being made and there are

attempts to get um any sightings of any

oil to be reported but of course all of

this is quite hypothetical it sounds

like and I presume that the threat to

the environment ment is is also from the

fuel powering the vessel as well as the

oil that it is carrying now given that

several attempts to recover uh the

sunken tanker uh have failed I mean what

is the plan if all of this that you've

just told us doesn't work how are they

going to deal with this potentially

disastrous

situation mhm um well initially from

from our conversation with the Coast

Guard earlier they seemed positive that

the scale of the catastrophe or of this

event is already minimal um they have

told us that from um 12 to 14 kilm of

the coverage of the oil spill it has

reduced to about 2 to four nautical

miles going south Southeast but you are

absolutely right even though that there

are already measures to try to contain

this spill the reality is this spill has

already happened and so really the the

the response here is to try to mitigate

and prevent as much catastrophy from

happening what it means for the Wild for

the marine life in in Manila Bay is that

you know it could very much affect uh

the fish and um production and fish

catch a lot of the fishermen have

already voiced out um their concerns

that they would not be able to fish um

in Manila Bay there have already been

restrictions

and bands in some areas that are already

known to be affected by The Spill and

really the the hope is that it would no

longer spread out so much that would

affect more um Coastal communities um

that really depend on the on the on the

marine life on Manila Bay all right

journalist jesset o anano reporting

there uh from Manila on this oil spill

thank you so much for your time