Coral Reef, Marine Sanctuary In Philippines Damaged By Ship Carrying Coal

MANILA, Philippines -- Officials say a ship loaded with coal has run aground and destroyed a large portion of a marine sanctuary in the southern Philippines.

Provincial environment officer Eduardo Saladero of Sarangani province says the MV Double Prosperity damaged precious coral reefs in Sarangani Bay where it has remained aground since Sunday.

Coast guard spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Algier Ricafrente said Thursday the Panamanian-registered ship with 21 Filipino crew members was headed to India from Australia carrying 65,000 tons of coal.

Ricafrente said an investigation showed the ship's crew miscalculated its path and sailed into shallow waters.

Comments

[Hard2kill]

07:05 AM on 05/14/2011

Miscalculated? This is really subject for an investigation... Pacquiao should punch that captain for ruining his district's coral reef...

[Milwaukeetj1]

11:40 AM on 05/13/2011

Our oceanic eco-system is going to be ruined if these types of things keep happening.

[75thRanger]

02:01 PM on 05/12/2011

This just in......Accidents happened. Would this be a story if the ship was filled with marshmallows and unicorns?

RLTW

[robnelsong]

12:21 PM on 05/13/2011

There are a very finite number of viable coral reefs left on earth. Each time such an "accident" occurs that related to careless human activity, the world has suffered another irretrievable loss. Coral reefs are extremely fragile, and they do not recover from severe damage overnight, if they recover at all.

[YoureSoShain]

01:41 PM on 05/12/2011

Accidents happen, I guess?

[hellnomo]

12:48 PM on 05/12/2011

It is so sad...all that lost coal,somewhere electric cars will be coasting to a stop.

[deezus]

12:08 PM on 05/12/2011

What does the ship carrying coal have to do with anything? It could have been carrying 65,000 tons of oatmeal and the same thing would have happened.

[Joseph Joyal]

12:43 PM on 05/12/2011

The coal is pollution with oils and particles that kill and the chunks when they fall on the coral will break and kill.
Oatmeal would have supplied a food source.

[Phlan]

12:07 PM on 05/12/2011

So tell me Republicans... how would have free and unfettered capitalism prevented this?
I can tell you how regulations would have prevented this.

[deezus]

12:21 PM on 05/12/2011

"Lt. Cmdr. Algier Ricafrente said an investigation showed the ship's crew miscalculated its path and sailed into shallow waters."

How exactly would regulations have prevented a path miscalculation?

[Joseph Joyal]

12:47 PM on 05/12/2011

Better training for crews would be a good start. Many Shipping lines that do not come in US waters have so little training requirement for crew members that this happens far more than we hear about.
Also better requirements for ships ocean going fitness will go a long way

[hellnomo]

12:50 PM on 05/12/2011

Wow you sank Phlan deeper that that cargo ship lol.

[KarlaElisa]

11:58 AM on 05/12/2011

i wonder how many times a year stuff like this happens where we don't hear about it.

[Malcolm Hensley]

10:52 AM on 05/12/2011

a couple of interesting points:

Between 2000-2009 coal usage for North America & Europe actual fell a little. Coal usage for the planet increased over 50% driven by demand from the fast developing nations of Asia.

There is some interesting discoveries concerning regrowth and stimulating growth of coral with electricity achieving growth rates of over 2 inches per year!

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/09/biorock_coral.php

Whether you use wind, tidal, or wave action to generate electricity you get surplus electricity for the grid, CO2 sequestering, rich fish coral habitat, do this right and you can protest estuaries from damaging hurricanes, and last but not least tourism dollars!

http://digg.com/news/science/Wave_Powered_Electricity_Could_Help_Regenerate_Coral_Reefs

Build a few of these off the Gulf and south east coast and you might even turn some Red States purple?

I can see with the influx of federal dollars some Republican Southern Senators saying it was their idea!

Sounds like the