Chinese Cargo Ship Dead in Water off Sulu Sea
Photo: Satellite image of NASA showing the internal waves formed in the Sulu Sea
A Chinese-owned bulk carrier is currently dead in the water after it encountered engine trouble just southwest of Tubbataha Reef along the vicinity off Sulu Sea in Palawan.
Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Palawan district commander said that his office received an urgent call from officials of the New Filipino Agencies Marine Inc. after M/V Tan An Ha, a Panamanian-registered cargo vessel and owned by Tan Ai Shipping based in Fujian, China is currently in distress after its main engine conked out while sailing southwest of Sulu Sea (Latitude 07° - 4.7°N/ Longitude 119 ° - 40°E).
Evangelista said that the cargo vessel, which came from Singapore, was on its way to Tagbilaran Port in Bohol to deliver 5,900 tons of limestone cargo when the incident happened.
Initial reports from the area disclosed that rough sea conditions continue to hammer the vessel and the ship's captain is worried that it may cause the vessel to ground along the shallow portions in the area.
Search and rescue vessel BRP-Pampanga, currently assisting the salvage operations of the USS Guardian along Tubbataha Reef, was dispatched to respond and render immediate assistance to crew of the stranded ship.
The PCG assures the public that the area where the vessel is currently located is far from the Tubbataha Reef.
Meanwhile, salvage operations on the USS Guardian were suspended this morning because of bad weather conditions.
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