U.S. Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship runs aground in Tubbataha Reefs in Palawan

From the Philippine  News Agency (Jan 17): U.S. Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship runs aground in Tubbataha Reefs in Palawan

The USS Guardian, an Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship of the U.S. Navy ran aground at the South Islet of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in the island municipality of Cagayancillo in Palawan early morning Thursday. Commodore Rustom Peña, the highest ranking officer of the Naval Forces West (NAVFORWEST), confirmed reports to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the USS Guardian, a part of the Mine Countermeasures Squadron 7 of the U.S. Navy assigned to the 7th Fleet and forward-deployed to Sasebo, Japan, hit the bottom of shallow water in the Tubbataha at around 3 a.m. “Yes, that incident was first reported to us by the management office of Tubbataha. The Western Command (WESCOM) Headquarters has been informed also, and it has now sent an aircraft to the area to find out and make reports,” he said.

The USS Guardian arrived Sunday in the Philippines and dropped anchor in Subic Bay, Olongapo City for standard refueling and stopover to reload provisions. The ship also made the port call for its crew of 80 navy sailors to rest and recreate. It was supposed to make its next port call in Puerto Princesa but Peña said the plan was cancelled before USS Guardian even left Subic.

“I am not aware why they are in Tubbataha because we thought they are no longer sailing to Puerto Princesa,” said Peña. A profile of the ship found on the Internet said the minesweeper’s crew includes eight Filipino-Americans.

In late 2007, the minesweeper with another, USS Patriot (MCM-7) sought to make a port call in HongKong’s Victoria Harbor to take refuge from an approaching storm, but China denied them entry for unknown reasons.

Peña said they might also send a Philippine Navy patrol ship in the area to see if the USS Guardian needs assistance, or just waiting for the water to rise. As of this writing, he’s waiting for orders from the WESCOM. As standard operating procedure (SOP), and because Tubbataha is a marine protected area, its management office is expected to send an official maritime protest to the U.S. Embassy.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=488210