Tragedy at Sea: Search for Missing Continues After Vessel Capsizes

A dredging vessel capsized off the coast of the western Philippine province, resulting in four fatalities and seven missing people. Efforts are ongoing to prevent an oil spill from the 2,000 litres of lube oil and 30,000 litres of diesel it was carrying. Several crew members have been rescued.

A tragic incident unfolded off the coast of Occidental Mindoro, where a dredging vessel capsized, leaving four dead and seven missing, the Philippine Coast Guard reported on Thursday. The MV Hong Hai 16 was carrying 25 crew members, including a significant fuel load.

Efforts are currently focused on containment to prevent an environmental disaster as 2,000 litres of lube oil and 30,000 litres of diesel threaten to spill into the ocean. The incident occurred on April 15 and has prompted an urgent response from maritime safety officials.

Thirteen Filipinos and twelve Chinese nationals were aboard the vessel. So far, six Filipino and eight Chinese crew members have been rescued, with divers recovering two more bodies during search-and-rescue operations on Thursday.

(With inputs from agencies.)