US hires 2 tugboats to extricate vessel

From the Daily Tribune (Jan 21): US hires 2 tugboats to extricate vessel

Two special tugboats, contracted by the United States government, were spotted by Philippine Navy ships in Tubbataha where US warship, USS Guardian, ran aground the protected reef last week. Lt. Commander Gregory Favic, spokesman of the Navy, said that the two special tugboats arrived in the area on Saturday as reported by Navy ships now deployed in Tubbataha following the grounding of USS Guardian on Thursday. “This was an arrangement by the US, not the Philippine government,” Favic said of the arrival of the two special tugboats.

Favic said that three PN ships — BRP Ismael Lomibao (PS383), BRP Rizal (PS74) and BRP Mangyan (PS71), are now in the area to provide assistance to the US vessel.  The three PN ships, Favic said, are just on stand-by ready to respond if necessary. Apparently, the US ship has not asked any assistance yet. “The three (ships) right now are only on stand-by, so that any assistance required from the Philippine Navy, at least we are there already to respond immediately,” said Favic. “Actually, we really do not know the plans of the US when (to extricate) because it is really proper timing, it should be high tide when it is pulled,” he added. According to Favic, BRP Mangyan assisted in transporting 10 US divers, along with their oil spill boom, from Palawan to Tubbataha. He clarified that there is no oil spill monitored in the area.

For its part, Malacañang said it is awaiting results of the investigation by the department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) regarding the incident at the Tubbataha Reef, which is among the country’s protected marine sanctuary “We’re just waiting for updates from the Department of Foreign Affairs on the efforts to extricate the ship out of the reef,” deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said.

On exacting damages from the US, Valte said “we’ll wait for the investigation… it’s more prudent to wait for the results of the investigation that will be conducted by the DFA, DND (Department of National Defense) and the other agencies that are concerned; and then come up with recommendations in light of the loss that we have in place owing to the fact that Tubbataha is one of the five World Heritage Sites that we have in the country.” “The immediate concern really is to get it out of there, extricated, with the least possible damage which is what we’re hoping for,” she added.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/nation/item/9431-us-hires-2-tugboats-to-extricate-vessel