MV Diamond Highway catches fire within the vicinity waters of Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu. (Photo from PCG)
Updated at 8:27 p.m.
MANILA, Philippines — An abandoned cargo vessel caught fire near the coast of Barangay Punta Engaño in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on Friday, April 28, the Philippine Coast Guard said.
“The Philippine Coast Guard responds to a fire onboard incident involving MV Diamond Highway at the vicinity shoreline of Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, today, 28 April 2023,” the Coast Guard said in its initial report.
“Based on the initial investigation, the subject vessel ran aground during the onslaught of Typhoon Odette [and] still undergoing salvage operations up to present,” the PCG added.
Nagiel Banacia, chief of the Lapu-Lapu City disaster management office, said the initial report showed that acetylene started the blaze.
At least 20 workers were inside when the ship caught fire.
They, however, managed to escape the burning vessel.
The vessel’s cargoes were luxury vehicles which were already damaged. The ship has no longer any fuel in its tanks.
Banacia said the ship ran aground in December 2021 at the height of the onslaught of Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai).