# Small tanker sinks - 2 missing



## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

From Sun.Star Phillipines - 

_A 998-ton motor/tanker (MT) sank with two men inside in Nueva Valencia, Guimaras Island Friday after monsoon rains and strong winds battered the vessel. 

With 20 crew lead by its Captain Norberto Agoro of Dao, Capiz, the73 meters M/T Solar 1 traversed from Bataan seas via Antique. The vessel was to discharge 13.5 metric tons bunker fuel in Zamboanga. 

It was reported that due to strong winds and rough seas, the crew stopped in Antique then took the Iloilo Guimaras straight when the incident happened. 

Big waves battered their vessel until it was out of its control to remain afloat. 

In a radio interview, Agoro said he and his crew abandoned the ship after big waves pounded on the vessel and brought it to the rocky portion of the island. 

He added that they discovered the two missing crewmen when they were already aboard the life boat. 

The 18 crewmen who survived were identified as Cerilo Vargas of Bohol, Eliezer Pinggal, chief cook of Surigao, Ruele Toyi of Iloilo, Romualdo Luistro, 3rd Engineer of Batangas, Ringel Bermino of Bataan, Roy Corolan, Chief Mate of Zamboanga Del Sur, Niño Lapuz, 2nd Mate, Rey Gallego, 2nd Engineer of Guimaras, Brian Rebatis Alamar of Aluminos Pangasinan, Victorino Beronia of Bataan, Anthony Paller of Pampanga, Raul Melaya of Oriental Mindoro, Reynaldo Aloro Torio Jr of Culasi Antique, Jessie Angeling Zambaonga, Norberto Agoro, ship captain of Antique, Noel Reblando of Pampanga, Ricardo Montipalco of Pampanga and Reynaldo Pahimotang of Lapu Lapu City. 

The two missing crewmembers were Victor Morados, ship oiler from Dumaguete and Ian Naboa of Bataan. 

The Philippine Coast Guard are checking if the tanker was overloaded when the incident happened, but Agoro denied saying the loaded fuel did not exceeded to 14 metric tons. 

The Coast Guard expressed concern not only to the missing persons, but also on the 13,000 barrel of bunker fuel that was aboard the ship. If spilled, it would destroy the Island's marine resources, the source of many Panay fishermen. 

It cannot be determined yet if the barrels of bunker fuel have leaked to the waters since Coast Guard personnel have not conducted an ocular inspection due to the bad weather. 

The survivors on the other hand were able to reach Barangay San Roque, Nueva Valencia Guimaras and are now in the custody of Nueva Valencia Mayor Diosdado Gonzaga_

Rushie


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Amazing number of crew on this 998 ton ship. What could they find for 20 people to do and the accommodation must have been pretty tight.

We must however not forget that two crew lost their lives. May they rest in peace.

Hawkey01


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