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Southeast Asia
US Navy Ship Stuck On Coral Reef In Philippines
2013-01-17
Someone's career just ended...
MANILA, Philippines -- A U.S. Navy minesweeper ran aground on a coral reef in the Philippines on Thursday, but there were no injuries to the crew and Philippine authorities were trying to determine if the ship caused damage to a marine park in a protected area.

The Navy said in a statement that the crew of the USS Guardian was working to find out the best method of safely extracting the ship.

It had just completed a port call in Subic Bay, a former American naval base west of the Philippine capital, when it hit the reef in the Tubbataha National Marine Park, a World Heritage Site in the Sulu Sea, 640 kilometers (400 miles) southeast of Manila. The ship was not listing or leaking oil but about 15 percent of the bow appeared to have struck the reef, said Angelique Songco, head of the government's Protected Area Management Board, after flying over the ship in a Philippine Air Force plane. "It does not appear to be damaged."
Tell that to the chief boatswain...
She said it was unclear how much of the reef was damaged. She said the government imposes a fine of about $300 dollars per square meter of corals that are damaged. In 2005, the environmental group Greenpeace was fined almost $7,000 after its flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, struck a reef in the same area.

Songco said the ship may be able to float free during a high tide later Thursday.
Posted by:Steve White

#7  Pappy, coral reefs don't grow that fast.

True. My remark referred to the possibility that the ship's charts had not been updated. Many times, also, charts are inaccurate (I remember seeing charts for regions in the Mid-East where the original Admiralty survey was in the late 1800s). Sometimes landmarks or navigational aids have changed.

Now, if they were relying solely on electronic navigation...
Posted by: Pappy   2013-01-17 22:13  

#6  It had just completed a port call in Subic Bay..

In the old days that would warrant a 100% urine test of the command and crew, let alone a short arm inspection.

A couple of my shipmates had been on WestPac cruises back in the day. They said you could smell Subic (and Olongapo City) a day away.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia   2013-01-17 22:11  

#5  the charts are outdated
Pappy, coral reefs don't grow that fast.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia   2013-01-17 19:12  

#4  The Navy said in a statement that the crew of the USS Guardian was working to find out the best method of safely extracting the ship

She draws about 13 feet. Possibly high tide, emptying some tanks, or shifting some items aft.
I wonder if the sonar gear has been damaged.

for everyone on the bridge

A lot of that area is either uncharted or the charts are outdated. That said, I suspect the inquiry isn't going to be a wash.
Posted by: Pappy   2013-01-17 14:43  

#3  "Oops..."
Posted by: Muggsy Mussolini1226   2013-01-17 11:33  

#2  for everyone on the bridge
Posted by: Bright Pebbles   2013-01-17 10:02  

#1  It had just completed a port call in Subic Bay..

In the old days that would warrant a 100% urine test of the command and crew, let alone a short arm inspection.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2013-01-17 08:40  

00:00