The Philippine Coast Guard rescued a crew member trapped inside the engine room after the cargo vessel Theresa I capsized during cargo operations at Apo Cement Port in Naga City, Cebu.
The small inter-island cargo ship overturned on March 11 while loading cement cargo. According to authorities, the vessel lost stability during a de-ballasting operation and developed a heavy list. The cargo shifted and the ship eventually rolled over alongside the berth.
During the capsizing, one of the vessel’s mooring lines snapped and struck a dockworker from the cement plant. The worker was taken to hospital but later died from his injuries.
There were 19 crewmembers on board the vessel at the time of the incident. When Coast Guard responders arrived, they heard sounds coming from inside the overturned ship and discovered that an engineer had been trapped in the engine room. Rescue teams managed to extricate him after several hours, and he was taken for medical treatment.
All other crew members were accounted for and reported to be in good condition.
Following the incident, the Philippine Coast Guard deployed about 100 metres of oil containment boom around the capsized vessel as a precaution against possible fuel leakage. Authorities said the situation is being monitored and an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident.
