Oil from the sunken oil tanker in Manila Bay has reached land for the first time. At the same time, the Coast Guard's rescue work is being delayed due to bad weather.
The Coast Guard's cleaning team was sent to the area on Sunday, and it is still unknown how much the beach has been affected or damaged by the oil.
The plan to empty the ship of its oil cargo is being postponed until at least Tuesday, in order to first focus on stopping the leaks. Divers will seal nine leaking valves. Currently, the spill stretches several kilometers from the wreck.
The weather is still bad, but the goal is to finish this by tomorrow, says the Coast Guard's spokesperson Armando Balilo, reports AFP.
The ship was carrying 1.4 million liters of fuel oil. If all the oil in the tanker were to leak out, it would be the largest spill in the Philippines' history, according to the Coast Guard.
The ship capsized and sank on Thursday. One crew member died.
