A cargo vessel ran aground and caused an oil spill along the coast of Ilocos Norte province in the northern Philippines on Monday, June 8.
The locally-registered MSCI 1 was transporting aggregates to Calayan Island in nearby Cagayan province when it encountered rough sea conditions off the coast of Ilocos Norte's Badoc municipality in the early morning (local time) of Monday, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The captain recounted that the ship had developed a severe list after its ballast tanks became flooded due to strong waves.
The captain then ordered that the ship be deliberately beached to prevent it from capsizing and to reduce the risk of injuries among the crew.
All 15 of the vessel's crew were eventually rescued by the PNP, the Philippine Coast Guard, and local residents.
The coast guard ha since deployed containment booms around the spilled oil to prevent it from spreading to other areas along the coast. A cleanup effort is now being conducted by the coast guard, the PNP, the Philippine Marine Corps, and other partner agencies.
