MANILA - One crew member was still missing after a tanker carrying industrial fuel capsized early on Thursday morning off the Philippines, the country's transportation minister said, and the incident had caused an oil spill.
"There is already oil spill. Right now, we cannot dispatch our resources because of strong winds and high waves," Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista told a situation briefing.
Bautista said the oil tanker MT Terra Nova was carrying 1,494 metric tonnes of industrial fuel when it capsized near the coastal town of Limay in Bataan province.
Bautista said 16 of the 17 crew members have been rescued while one remained, and a search was underway.
Coast Guard spokesperson Armando Balilo separately said in a statement an investigation was underway to see if the maritime accident was related to Typhoon Gaemi.
"There was no weather disturbance in the vicinity waters when the maritime incident occurred," the coast guard said.
A man carrying his dogs gets off a boat along a flooded road following heavy rains brought by Typhoon Gaemi, in Marikina City, Metro Manila, the Philippines, on Wednesday. (Photo: Reuters)
Freighter sinks off Taiwan
In Taiwan, a Tanzania-flagged freighter with nine Myanmar nationals on board had sunk off the coast of the southern port city of Kaohsiung during the typhoon and there had been no response from the crew.
Search efforts were ongoing, Taiwan's fire department said in a statement.
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