DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 05 May) — Efforts are ongoing to salvage MV Bella Trix owned by GY Shipping Lines Inc. after it ran aground at 1 a.m. on May 3 off Barangay Lavigan, Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental, a coast guard official said on Sunday.
Lt. Commander Angel Tobias, chief of staff of the Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao, said, in an information released to reporters, that the vessel was carrying cargo of buckwheat with 22 crew members bound for Tagaloan in Cagayan de Oro City.
She said the vessel ran aground after the ship’s master shifted the vessel’s course to the port side to avoid crashing into an unlighted motorbanca of the local fishers who were fishing in the area.
She said salvage operations commenced at 9:34 a.m. of May 4 upon the arrival of the motor tugboat MT Regulus, operated by Harbour Star, but were immediately halted due to the strong current.
Personnel from the Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao lead the salvage operations of MV Bella Trix that ran aground off Davao Oriental around 1:00 a.m. of May 3. (Photo courtesy of Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao)
She said the team leading the salvage operations, composed of representatives from the Coast Guard station in Davao Oriental, GY Shipping Lines, and Harbour Star convened around 7:30 p.m. of the same day to do operational planning.
She said investigation confirmed that the vessel’s central fuel tank was secure and not contaminated by seawater, but a 95-meter spill boom was deployed “to contain any potential spillage.”
She added, however, that intrusion of seawater was reported in the forepeak tank containing the vessel’s freshwater but the responders were able to address it using a portable water pump.
She said the GY Shipping Lines Inc. assured the safety of its crew members and that it would do all it can to minimize environmental impact.
She said once extracted, the team is planning to tow the vessel to Santa Ana anchorage area in Davao City “for final inspection and further evaluation.” (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)