Oil spill threatens Philippines capital after tanker capsizes

By Mikhail Flores and Neil Jerome Morales

MANILA (Reuters) - A marine tanker carrying industrial fuel sank in rough seas off the Philippines on Thursday, causing the death of a crew member and an oil spill that could spread to waters off the capital Manila, officials said.

Sixteen of the 17 crew members of MT Terra Nova have been rescued, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said, after the ship capsized off the coastal town of Limay in Bataan province.

The coastguard said they found the body of a previously missing crew member in the sea off Limay town in Bataan province, less than three hours drive from the capital Manila, on Thursday afternoon.

"There is already oil spill. Right now, we cannot dispatch our resources because of strong winds and high waves," Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista told a situation briefing.

The ship was carrying 1,494 metric tonnes of industrial fuel, Bautista said.

Philippine coast guard spokesperson Armando Balilo told a separate briefing a 97-metre coast guard vessel had been deployed to combat the oil spill. Smaller vessels were waiting for the weather to clear before setting sail.

An aerial survey by the coast guard showed an oil slick spreading roughly two nautical miles and being driven by strong waves.

"We are racing against time. We will do our best to contain the fuel," Balilo said.

He added the waters where the ship sank is close to Manila and there is "big danger" the spill could reach the capital.

"That's part of the contingencies that we are preparing for," Balilo said.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had ordered the environment ministry to assess the damage and the ministry said its chief was on her way to Limay town.

Balilo said rescued crew members had described encountering rough seas before the ship capsized.

Officials were investigating whether the sinking is related to Typhoon Gaemi, which on Wednesday flooded swathes of the capital Manila and surrounding towns. At least 14 people have died from the typhoon and monsoon rains, according to government data, and officials said the toll could go up.

LSEG Eikon data shows Terra Nova has a deadweight tonnage of 1,415 tonnes and was headed to the central province of Iloilo.

Last year, oil tanker MT Princess Empress was carrying about 800,000 litres of industrial fuel when it capsized on Feb. 28 and eventually sank, causing an oil spill which took three months to cleanup and hit tourist towns.

(Reporting by Mikhail Flores and Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by John Mair, Michael Perry, Philippa Fletcher)