The Philippines says a cargo of oil has started to leak from a tanker that sank in Manila Bay

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The cargo of industrial fuel oil on a tanker that sank in stormy weather in Manila Bay has started to leak in small amounts, the Philippine coast guard said Saturday.

Authorities were scrambling to start a delicate undersea operation to siphon off the highly toxic shipment from the sunken vessel, which has remained intact, to avert a major environmental crisis.

The 65-meter (213-foot) tanker Terra Nova sank was carrying about 1.4 million liters (370,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil stored in watertight tanks when it got lashed by huge waves, apparently developed engine trouble then took on water after leaving Bataan province west of Manila for a domestic trip.

The crew struggled to steer the tanker back to port but it sank early Thursday. Sixteen crewmembers were rescued but one drowned, coast guard spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said.

Divers have reached the tanker, which the coast guard earlier said is lying at a relatively shallow depth of 34 meters (111 feet), and saw small amounts of the cargo leaking out of a valve of one of a number of separate compartments, although the tanks were intact.

An oil slick near the rough seawaters where the tanker sank off Bataan province’s Limay town has now lengthened to 12-14 kilometers (7-9 miles), Balilo said, citing an aerial inspection. But, he added, the slick is not highly viscous and not deeply black in color, indicating there is still no major leak.

The leaking oil may have come both from the small tank that powered the ship’s engine and from the tanker’s cargo, he said.

“It’s really an oil spill now,” Balilo said. “The amount is minimal and manageable and, hopefully, it will stay that way until we can start the siphoning.”

The oil spill was