USS Guardian on Tubbataha Reef. 蜜桃工作室 FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥擳he United States government has invited Philippine officials to Japan for a briefing on the investigation into the grounding of the USS Guardian in Tubbataha Reef, a World Heritage site, in January.
鈥淭he Philippine Navy and the Coast Guard have been invited to come to Japan to also partake and be briefed on the (ongoing) investigation,鈥� said Lt. Col. Jason Chamness, Deputy Chief of the Jusmag-Philippines.
Chamness said the investigation into the grounding of the vessel had 鈥済otten far enough鈥� to allow the US to conduct a preliminary briefing for the Philippine officials.
鈥淲e are coordinating (the briefing) and they鈥檒l probably go back a couple more times as the investigation continues,鈥� Chamness said.
Asked if the investigation had given US authorities an idea of how the grounding of the US Navy minesweeper happened, US Ambassador to Manila Harry Thomas said: 鈥淭he investigation is ongoing. Its clear intention is to find out what happened. We will share the details with President Aquino and Philippine government investigators.鈥�
Thomas also apologized again for the incident, which destroyed an estimated 4,000 square meters of coral in the reef.
Thomas said the US government was 鈥渟pending lots of funds鈥� to remove the ship from the reef and was intent on finding solutions to avoid a similar incident happening again, such as conducting symposia and conferences.
He noted that there had been 11 accidents at the reef, including two involving Philippine ships between 2011 and 2013, before the USS Guardian ran aground in Tubbataha.
Years to repair reef
鈥淲hen it鈥檚 over, we will assess the damage with the Philippine government and see how it can be repaired. We know honestly that it will take years to repair that part of the reef,鈥� Thomas said.
The dismantling of the USS Guardian continued Thursday with the cutting and removal of a number of 鈥渟mall compartments below the main deck,鈥� according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Citing a report from the PCG-led Task Force Tubbataha in Palawan, Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Commander Armand Balilo, also chief of its public affairs office, said 鈥渢he salvage operation progressed with works mainly below the main deck.鈥�
The international salvage team contracted by the US Navy to remove the ship from the reef also 鈥渃ut and opened a portion of the main deck to get access to the ship鈥檚 hull,鈥� Balilo said.
Weather good for cutting
In a text message to the Inquirer, Balilo said the team continued 鈥渃utting and securing pipelines and other pipes connected to different compartments below the main deck.鈥�
The task force, headed by Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista, also chief of the PCG Palawan district, reported to Coast Guard headquarters in Manila that the 鈥渨eather has been very favorable to continue the salvage operation,鈥� noting that 鈥渨ind speeds [were] 11 to 16 knots [with] waves of 0.3 to 1.2 meters in the Tubbataha area.鈥�