ARMED Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Colonel Edgard Arevalo yesterday said the operations to pull out the Philippine Navy Ship that ran aground in Hasa-Hasa Shoal that started at around 2 p.m. Monday was a success.
In a statement, Arevalo said Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas Gregorio del Pilar (FF 15) that ran aground in the shoal was successfully pulled out shortly before midnight or at 11:54 a.m. of the same day.
Arevalo said that was the information received from the commander of Joint Task Force “Goyong” Comdre Rommel Jason Galang in his report to the commander of the AFP Western Command, Lt. Gen. Rozzano Briguez.
“Inspection was ongoing as at this time in preparation for the towing of the vessel to Subic,” Arevalo said.
Arevalo earlier said Galang led a team of sailors, divers, airmen, marines, and civilian experts to determine how they can successfully extricate BRP Gregorio del Pilar with least collateral damage to herself and the environment.
Arevalo said Galang has been aboard FF-15 since Saturday and has been rendering periodic report to the Western Command, Philippine Navy, and General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, on the status of the ship.
Reports earlier reaching the General Headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, said BRP Gregorio del Pilar ran aground in the vicinity of Hasa-hasa Shoal, West Philippine Sea late in the evening of Aug. 29, 2018.
AFP Public Affairs chief Col. Noel Detoyato said all afloat vessels in the Western Command were mobilized to conduct assessment, retrieve the aground vessel and return her to safe harbor, and assist all personnel aboard BRP del Pilar.
“Other assets from nearby AFP installations were on standby for any contingency. reports also indicated that none of our personnel on board have been hurt due to the incident,” Detoyato said.
“An investigation is expected in such situations to find out the possible causes of the grounding and to come up with steps to ensure that similar incidents will be prevented,” he added. (Francis T. Wakefield)