Pesticide found in capsized ship halts retrieval operations

Rescue and retrieval operations inside the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars were halted on Friday following reports that the vessel was carrying a pesticide cargo when it capsized.

In a briefing at the Department of National Defense, Vice President Noli de Castro said the government ordered the stoppage in the rescue and retrieval efforts in the capsized ship after receiving reports that a cargo of endosulfan, a chemical used in pineapple plantations, had been loaded in the ship.

De Castro noted that the pesticide shipment was from Del Monte Philippines.

"We aborted the retrieval operations... because of the pesticide inside the ship," De Castro said.

For his part, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez Jr said the vessel was found to be carrying 10 metric tons of the highly-toxic pesticide, and that authorities have shifted efforts to containing the chemical and retrieving the shipment.

"Search and rescue is now stopped because the government just found out that 10 MT of highly toxic insecticides inside the MV Princess of the Stars. President (Gloria Macapagal) Arroyo instructed the NDCC to focus efforts in trying to contain the chemical and carefully retrieve the 40-foot container so as not to contaminate the environment," Golez said.

"The DOH is now doing necessary health education and giving health services while the DSWD is currently doing social preparation to the communities and relatives of the victims. All necessary precautions are now being undertaken to ensure the safety of our people," he added.

De Castro said that so far, there has been no indication that the pesticide container had been opened, although he said that rescue workers should not have been allowed to enter the vessel had they known that it was carrying a 40-footer container van of pesticide.