By JOYCE CLAVECILLAS
ABS-CBN Iloilo
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has already issued permission to the salvage company hired by Oceanic Container Lines, Inc. to recover the sunken M/V Ocean Papa that sank along with its chemical cargo off Culasi, Antique last month.
The PCG’s Western Visayas district approved the application for salvage filed for CJ Gaspar Salvage and Lighterage Company, which meant that the retrieval operations will start next week.
According to Commodore William Melad, PCG Western Visayas commander, it will take CJ Gaspar nine days before it could transfer all the equipment and manpower in Culasi and start operations.
Authorities are working on fishing out the vessel and 86 container vans inside its cargo hold. One of the container vans had 80 steel drums of Toluene Di-Isocyanate.
Melad said it will take the salvage crew 102 days to finish the entire retrieval operation.
Meanwhile, the Special Board of Marine Inquiry has formally started its investigation Monday.
The board headed by PCG Western Visayas deputy Capt. Bon Dan Chan summoned Ocean Papa's crew members who survived the capsizing.
The board also invited the operations officer of Oceanic Container Lines in charge of the Ocean Papa.
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