ONE of the three tankers that sank off Bataan last July due to inclement weather had been refloated, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported yesterday.

In a statement, the PCG said the MTKR Jason Bradley is due to be towed to a shipyard in Mariveles, Bataan for a further investigation on the incident.

“The Philippine Coast Guard announces that MTKR Jason Bradley has been refloated as of 5 p.m. yesterday, 25 September 2024,” the PCG said.

It said representatives from the Bureau of Customs and the National Bureau of Investigation took oil samples from the vessel as part of the ongoing probe. The effort was facilitated by the BRP Panglao, a PCG vessel.

The PCG said the vessel will be towed to the Diving Industry Shipyard in Mariveles, about two kilometers away from where it sank, “prior to the conduct of a thorough investigation.”

“The said vessel will be detained by the CGS (Coast Guard Station) Bataan, following the filing of administrative charges,” the PCG quoted CGS Bataan chief Commander Michael John Encina as saying.

The vessel sank off Mariveles last July 26 during the onslaught of typhoon Carina. It was loaded with 5,500 liters of operational diesel oil that were later retrieved.

Operations to have the vessel refloated were delayed by recent tropical cyclones and the inclement weather.

Encina said FES Challenger, the salvor hired by the owner of MTKR Bradley, completed the refloating job ahead of the target, which was last Sunday.

Encinas said the salvor began the refloating operation last week.

Authorities are still preparing for the removal of the wreck of another motor tanker, MTKR Terranova, which also sank in Limay, Bataan last July 25 due to bad weather.

The salvor company, Harbor Star, has completed the recovery of some 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil from the tanker’s tanks.

Encina said a bathymetric survey, or assessment and evaluation of the vessel’s position, was still ongoing as of yesterday.

“(That is necessary) before the actual wreck removal…When you say wreck removal, that includes refloating and other means to remove the vessel,” said Encinas.

Encina said the bathymetric survey might be completed within the week. “After that, we will a propose timeline for the wreck removal,” said Encina.