Wednesday, February 20, 2013

PCG: Salvage sked of USS Guardian to be met despite inclement weather

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 20): PCG: Salvage sked of USS Guardian to be met despite inclement weather

Despite being hounded by bad weather, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday expressed confidence that the salvage schedule of March 23 for the grounded USS Guardian (MCM-5) will still be meet.

US Navy salvage teams earlier said that retrieval works for the ill-fated minesweeper will be completed by the said date. PCG Palawan head Commodore Enrico Evangelista made this annoucement as salvage works was again postponed Wednesday as tropical depression "Crising" moved toward the province.

The weather disturbance is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility Thursday morning via Puerto Princesa City. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration(PAGASA)said there was a chance "Crising" might merged with a low-pressure area near Palawan. "So far there has been no change in our timeline of March 23. We expect work to continue nonstop once we actually start," he added.

The minesweeper ran aground on Tubbataha Reef last Jan. 17.

For now, however, he said they have to wait for the weather in the area to improve. Evangelista said the crane ship "Jascon 25" is now in the Tubbataha Reef area and is maneuvering to get near the USS Guardian. But he said the salvaging work is halted to let the bad weather pass first.

He added that they expect to learn more about the extent of the damage to the reef once the USS Guardian is removed.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=499430

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