One dead following tug sinking in central Philippines

One person was killed after a tug pulling a cargo vessel sank off Cebu province in the central Philippines on Friday, March 10.

The tug Nagasaka was towing the cargo vessel LCT Jana Juliana when the latter’s bow accidentally struck the tug’s stern while the two vessels were some 180 metres off the town of Consolacion.

The tug then began to sink, prompting the crew to jump into the water. Some of the crew were picked up within minutes by personnel on a Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessel that had diverted to the area to provide assistance.

One crewman from Nagasaka was initially reported missing. His body was found floating off nearby Lapu-Lapu City at around 13:00 local time on Saturday, March 11.

The deceased crewman’s identity was confirmed by his next of kin, the coast guard said in a social media post.

The coast guard has deployed containment booms around the sunken tug in response to reports of oil sheens following the incident.