Tubbataha Board gives go-ahead for US salvage proposal - PCG

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 6): Tubbataha Board gives go-ahead for US salvage proposal - PCG

The Philippines Coast Guard Wednesday announced the Tubbataha Management Board has agreed to the salvage plan presented by the US Navy for the removal of the USS Guardian (MCM-5) which is still grounded in Tubbataha Reef, Sulu Sea.

The US salvage plan involves the dismantlement of the stricken minesweeper in site and transport of its chopped sections by crane barge. "They (Tubbataha Management Board) have agreed to their proposal," Coast Guard commandant Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena said.

He added salvage operations will start once the US Navy preposition its salvage ships in the area. One of the US Navy contracted vessels, the "Smit Borneo" is now in the scene and awaiting the arrival of another salvage ship, the Gibraltar-flagged "Jascon 25" to start operations.

The Singapore-based "Jascon 25" is described as a pipelay crane vessel and built on 2007. It has length of 118 meters and breadth of 30 meters. The ship has a gross tonnage of 14,829 gross register tons and speed of 6.9 knots. Its cranes has a lifting capacity of 800 tons. "They can start on Sunday or Monday depending on the weather," Isorena added.

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