Manila: Philippine officials say a cargo ship with 20 crew members from China has not sunk as earlier feared.
Navy and coast guard officials said Saturday that the Panamanian-registered MV Oceanic Union took in water but that its crew managed to pump it out off Ilocos Norte province in the northern Philippines. The vessel was on its way to Subic Bay, west of Manila.
Coast guard spokesman Lt Cmdr. Algier Ricafrente had said earlier that the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Coordinating Center reported late Friday that it received a distress call from the ship.
He had said the vessel may have sunk or was sinking since the crew had already abandoned ship, and that a search had been launched.
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, November 06, 2011, 09:43