source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
MANILA,
Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III has already approved the United
States Navy's plan to extricate the USS Guardian at the Tubbataha Reef, the
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Thursday.
Commodore
Enrico Efren Evangelista, commander of PCG Palawan District and head of task force
Tubbataha, said the President approved last night the salvage operations for
the USS Guardian.
In
an interview with radio dzMM, PCG commandant Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena said:
"Baka po kung maganda ang panahon baka sa Sunday o Monday e makapagsimula
na sila, kasi 'yung prepositioning ng barko may take one or two days... and
then siguro on the fourth day saka sila mag-start ng actual operations.”
The
US Navy earlier said the “sectioning” of the USS Guardian in several parts
appeared to be less destructive. Around 4000 square meters of the World
Heritage Site has already been flattened.
Separately,
Evangelista said the rigging of the four anchors and the pre-positioning of the
Smit Borneo, a salvage ship, are still ongoing. He said the rigging might take
two days because it has to be precise in order to prevent any further damage to
the reef.
Soon
after, heavy equipment like blowers, pumps and other tools will be transferred
to the USS Guardian. By that time, containment barriers and safety nets will be
put into place.
He
added the initial ecological assessment before the operation was done yesterday
but the PCG is still waiting for the results. Weather in Tubbataha is favorable
today.
Representatives
from the US coastguard had visited the PCG office to check on the ongoing
operations.
Evangelista
added the other crane ship, Jascon, is still in Singapore finalizing its
contract. – with reports from Gretchen Malalad, ABS-CBN News
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