2 Crew Members Dead, 3 Missing After Ship And Dredger Collides Near Corregidor Island

According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the MV Hong Hai 189 and the MT Petite Soeur crashed near Corregidor Island last Friday, killing one Chinese crew member while 18 others were rescued.

Ship Collision — Credit: Inquirer.net/YouTube

The MV Hong Hai 189 has one crew member missing, and rescue efforts are underway.

“The Coast Guard Sub-Station Corregidor has been notified that the MV Hong Hai 189 has capsized.” BRP Capones, a PCG vessel, has been dispatched to the scene.”

The MV Hong Hai 189 is a Sierra Leone-flagged dredger, while the MT Petite Soeur is a chemical/oil product tanker flying the Marshall Island flag.

The former arrived in Botolan, Zambales, and the latter in Mariveles, Bataan.

The rescue vessel Heng Da 19, which was near the accident site, rescued 16 of the MV Hong Hai 189’s 20 crew members.

On Saturday, the PCG also responded and sent another vessel, and rubber boats, to help with the rescue efforts.

“As of 7:30 AM, the SAR team had recovered one cadaver (Chinese crew),” the Coast Guard announced.

“They also rescued two more crew members, who were immediately brought to the nearest hospital for identification and medical assistance,” according to the statement.

Members of the Coast Guard Aviation Force are now conducting an airborne survey to complement search and rescue operations.

The MT Petite Soeur’s 21 crew members are said to be in good physical condition.

“The authorities will conduct a port state control inspection on the MT Petite Soeur in order to hold and detain the vessel,” the PCG says.

The incident happened just a few days after a Chinese coast guard ship almost collided with a Philippine patrol vessel carrying journalists near Ayungin Shoal, which is allegedly within Manila’s exclusive economic zone.

The event was termed by Beijing as a “premeditated and provocative action.” Despite an international arbitration ruling in favour of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea in 2016, Beijing asserts sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea.

Reference: Philstar, Inquirer.net

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