Philippine cargo ship lists in Manila Bay after collision

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Philippine cargo vessel and a Cyprus-flagged dredger collided in a Manila Bay anchorage area early Thursday, resulting in no injuries but causing the cargo vessel to list and lie half-submerged in the busy waters.

It was not immediately clear what triggered the pre-dawn accident near Manila’s Baseco shoreline, which caused the M/V Palawan Pearl to tilt and take on water and damaged the paint on the dredger’s hull, coast guard officials said.

The dredger, BKM 104, was in the country to undertake dredging works for a new Manila airport project, the coast guard said.

The cargo vessel had 18 crewmen on board but there were no immediate details about the dredger’s crew, the coast guard said.

Coast guard personnel would surround the Palawan Pearl with floating booms to contain any potential oil spill, officials said.

It said an investigation was underway.