U.S. Navy ship stranded on World Heritage-listed coral reef ignored warnings: Philippines

[xchrom]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/01/21/u-s-navy-ship-stranded-on-world-heritage-listed-coral-reef-ignored-warnings-philippines/



A US Navy minesweeper that has been stuck on a World Heritage-listed coral reef in the Philippines since last week ignored warnings to avoid the area, a government official said on Monday.

The comments from the superintendent of Tubbataha marine park, Angelique Songco, added to growing anger in the Philippines over the incident, for which the US Navy has apologised but may still face fines.

Park rangers radioed the USS Guardian to advise it was nearing the Tubbataha Reef on Thursday, but the ship captain insisted they raise their complaint with the US embassy, Songco told reporters.

She said shortly after the warning, the 68-metre (224-foot) vessel became stuck on part of Tubbataha Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Sulu Sea about 130 kilometres (80 miles) southeast of the western island of Palawan.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

1. The recording of that radio conversation won't help the captain's career

Oh, crap, there really IS a reef here!

[bluedigger]

2. The Captain's career is already sunk.

The Navy takes a dim view of their ships being run aground.

[rgbecker]

3. Is this why the Repubicans say we need so many ships?

Can't even keep the ones we have floating.


As a boat owner myself, I can tell you it isn't inexpensive to keep the things going.

I thought we got all those mines taken care of back in 1945.