SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique — Cargo ship M/V Star Liberty ran aground some 300 meters away from the shoreline of Barangay 4, San Jose de Buenavista, Antique, Monday, slightly hurting 12 of its 22 crew members.
The 383-gross ton cargo ship was anchored at the San Jose de Buenavista Port from Cebu since Aug. 28 for unloading 20,000 bags of cement to a consignee here in the province.
But inclement weather, induced by “habagat” or southwest monsoon, led the ship to drift into a rocky portion of the sea.
“The ship’s anchor was dragged to a rocky portion of the sea and its engine won’t start that led the captain to order his crew to abandon the ship,” Philippine Coast Guard-Antique Station Commander Perlita P. Cinco said in an interview.
Cinco said 12 of the crew members obtained bruises and were brought to the hospital for treatment.
Barangay 4 officials offered their barangay hall for crew members to temporarily take refuge in until such time they could return to Cebu.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, headed by Broderick Train, assured that they have oil spill booms ready to be used in case of an oil spill.
The PCG also confirmed that the vessel has around 6,000 liters of diesel fuel when it left Cebu last week.
“As of now the ship is already in a stable position,” Cinco said.
Antique is now experiencing inclement weather as an effect of continuous monsoon rains. (Annabel Consuelo Petinglay/PNA)
