Marine

17.12, sinking, fatalities

Philippines: one crew member of general cargo vessel Maria Lourdes (639 gt, built 1979) died while 19 others were rescued after their ship sank off Antique province in Western Visayas. The cargo vessel sent a distress call to the Coast Guard before sinking saying that its starboard main engine was malfunctioning and it was only running on its port main engine suggesting the Maria Lourdes sank because its engines broke down, preventing the vessel from riding out the rough seas it encountered off Antique province. The vessel was being battered by large waves, causing it to list three degrees to starboard. The ship, which left Iligan City five days earlier, sank off Caluya Island. The vessel was headed for San Jose town loaded with some 22,000 bags of cement.