The Philippine Coast Guard on Saturday (July 27) said that around 1.4 million litres of industrial fuel oil inside a sunken tanker have started to leak into Manila Bay.

The Philippine Coast Guard on Saturday (July 27) said that around 1.4 million litres of industrial fuel oil inside a sunken tanker have started to leak into Manila Bay. The MT Terra Nova sank due to bad weather off Manila early Thursday, killing one crew member and leaving the country to potentially deal with its worst oil spill. The coast guard is now rushing to avoid an environmental catastrophe. A report by the news agency AFP said that the oil slick has more than tripled in size and is now estimated to stretch 12-14 kilometres across the bay. 'Leakage not alarming yet' The spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said on Saturday that divers inspected the hull of the vessel and saw a minimal leak from the valves, adding that the leakage is not alarming yet. "It's just a small volume flowing out. The tanks are intact," Balilo said. He hoped that by Sunday (Jul 28), "we will be able to start syphoning the oil from the motor tanker." The coast guard spokesperson also said that the ship that will carry the recovered oil is on its way to the area. Also read | Philippines, China reach ‘agreement’ on resupply mission to remote outpost in South China Sea Oil containment booms have been deployed for what Balilo earlier described as "the worst case scenario" of the cargo leaking out. Thousands of fishermen and tourism operators work in the Manila Bay. The spokesperson said that the coast guard also called for a suspension of fishing in the bay to prevent people from eating contaminated fish. A warning by coast guard The coast guard has warned that if the entire cargo leaked it would lead to an "environmental catastrophe." They had previously said that the oil leaking from the tanker appeared to be the diesel fuel used to power the vessel. However, it now thinks the slick is a mixture of diesel and industrial fuel oil. The vessel sank nearly seven kilometres from its origin in the port of Limay west of Manila. Sixteen of the 17 crew members were rescued from the tanker. The coast guard has estimated that the extraction of oil from the vessel would take at least a week. (With inputs from agencies)

Philippine coast guard says oil inside sunken tanker has started to leak into Manila Bay

Typhoon Gaemi caused an oil tanker and a cargo ship to sink in Manila Bay on Thursday (July 25). Officials reported that one of the 17 crew members was missing, and Philippine authorities were urgently working to control an oil spill that could become the largest in the country's history and endanger the shoreline of the capital if all the oil were to leak.

While authorities had not yet confirmed a direct link between the typhoon and the sinking, they were investigating "if there was an existing weather disturbance in the vicinity waters."&nbsp;

The tanker, carrying 1.4 million litres of oil, capsized about 7 km off the coast of Limay municipality in Bataan province.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, in Taiwan, the fire agency reported receiving an alert early Thursday about a cargo ship sinking off the island's southwestern coast, leading its nine Myanmar crew members to abandon ship with life jackets.

Watch:&nbsp;Deadly China floods | Three Gorges Dam to collapse? | Typhoon Gaemi

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"They fell into the sea and were floating there," Hsiao Huan-chang, head of the fire agency, told AFP, noting that rescuers received help from a nearby Taiwanese cargo ship to help them.

By Thursday morning, the storm had weakened, and "the centre has moved out to sea" at approximately 4:20 AM (2020 GMT), according to Taiwan's weather authorities.

Three other vessels had also run aground during the storm. The Iriana, an Indonesia-flagged vessel, was grounded in Pingtung. Authorities confirmed that all 20 crew members were unharmed and there was no threat of an oil spill.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/uaes-non-oil-sector-is-74-per-cent-of-gdp-small-industries-crucial-uae-economy-minister-in-india-744121">UAE's non-oil sector is 74 per cent of GDP; small industries crucial: UAE Economy Minister in India</a>

The Portugal-flagged Sopfia and the Mongolia-flagged Basia also ran aground, the former off Tainan’s coast and the latter in Pingtung. According to Taiwan authorities, the crews were either safe or awaiting rescue.

Gaemi, the strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in eight years, struck the island on Wednesday (July 25) night with peak winds reaching 190 kilometres (118 miles) per hour. At least three deaths were reported, and up to 3,300 individuals were injured.

Gaemi is heading towards Fujian province in China, where all train services have been halted and the second-highest flood warning level has been issued.

On Wednesday, the national water resources ministry warned that exceptionally heavy rainfall could cause rivers and lakes in Fujian and the adjacent Zhejiang province to flood.

(With inputs from agencies)

Typhoon Gaemi caused an oil tanker and a cargo ship to sink in Manila Bay on Thursday (July 25). Officials reported that one of the 17 crew members was missing, and Philippine authorities were urgently working to control an oil spill that could become the largest in the country's history and endanger the shoreline of the capital if all the oil were to leak.

Typhoon Gaemi caused an oil tanker and a cargo ship to sink in Manila Bay on Thursday (July 25). Officials reported that one of the 17 crew members was missing, and Philippine authorities were urgently working to control an oil spill that could become the largest in the country's history and endanger the shoreline of the capital if all the oil were to leak. While authorities had not yet confirmed a direct link between the typhoon and the sinking, they were investigating "if there was an existing weather disturbance in the vicinity waters." The tanker, carrying 1.4 million litres of oil, capsized about 7 km off the coast of Limay municipality in Bataan province. Meanwhile, in Taiwan, the fire agency reported receiving an alert early Thursday about a cargo ship sinking off the island's southwestern coast, leading its nine Myanmar crew members to abandon ship with life jackets. Watch: Deadly China floods | Three Gorges Dam to collapse? | Typhoon Gaemi × "They fell into the sea and were floating there," Hsiao Huan-chang, head of the fire agency, told AFP, noting that rescuers received help from a nearby Taiwanese cargo ship to help them. By Thursday morning, the storm had weakened, and "the centre has moved out to sea" at approximately 4:20 AM (2020 GMT), according to Taiwan's weather authorities. Three other vessels had also run aground during the storm. The Iriana, an Indonesia-flagged vessel, was grounded in Pingtung. Authorities confirmed that all 20 crew members were unharmed and there was no threat of an oil spill. Also read: UAE's non-oil sector is 74 per cent of GDP; small industries crucial: UAE Economy Minister in India The Portugal-flagged Sopfia and the Mongolia-flagged Basia also ran aground, the former off Tainan’s coast and the latter in Pingtung. According to Taiwan authorities, the crews were either safe or awaiting rescue. Gaemi, the strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in eight years, struck the island on Wednesday (July 25) night with peak winds reaching 190 kilometres (118 miles) per hour. At least three deaths were reported, and up to 3,300 individuals were injured. Gaemi is heading towards Fujian province in China, where all train services have been halted and the second-highest flood warning level has been issued. On Wednesday, the national water resources ministry warned that exceptionally heavy rainfall could cause rivers and lakes in Fujian and the adjacent Zhejiang province to flood. (With inputs from agencies)

Typhoon Gaemi: Oil tanker and cargo ship sink, huge oil spill risk in Manila Bay

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Philippine coast guard says oil inside sunken tanker has started to leak into Manila Bay

Typhoon Gaemi: Oil tanker and cargo ship sink, huge oil spill risk in Manila Bay