The Philippines Coast Guard is honoring the crew of a Chinese containership for its courageous actions in saving the crew from a chemical tanker that was in misery. The sixteen crewmembers had been rescued from two rafts in tough seas after they deserted their ship.

The MT King Rich registered in Sierra Leone reported the product tanker was taking over water on Saturday, November 18, within the northernmost waters of the Philippines roughly 80 nautical miles from the small Badoc Island. Built in 1990, the 13,925 dwt tanker was touring empty when it encountered the tough seas.

The captain later advised the rescuers that the propeller shaft broke round 13:00 on Saturday, inflicting the tanker to start taking over water. The crew initially tried to regulate the flooding however quickly decided that they may not pump the water out. Fearing the vessel can be overwhelmed, ready to desert ship. The Philippine Coast Guard stories the crew secured the gas tanks and the engine earlier than coming into two rafts.

The 13 Indonesians and three Chinese crewmembers had been rescued about 4 hours later when the Hong Kong-registered containership Sheng An stumbled on the 2 rafts. The 24,500 dwt feeder containership was crusing from China to the Philippines and was in a position to place itself to intercept the rafts. Video shot from the deck reveals the tough seas bouncing across the two rafts.

The crewmembers had been introduced safely aboard the containership which proceeded to Subic Bay within the Philippines the place it arrived on Sunday morning. The Coast Guard stories the rescued crew is all in good bodily situation due to the efforts of the containership.

The Coast Guard Aviation Force overflew the world at the moment and reported the product tanker continues to be afloat and drifting. The Coast Guard says it’s working with the vessel’s proprietor to safe a tow earlier than the vessel is misplaced.