Oil Spill Hits Philippines Coastline

POLA, PHILIPPINES - MARCH 08: Coast guard personnel deploy a boom to contain the oil spill from the sunken MT Princess Empress on March 08, 2023 in Pola, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. Authorities are racing to contain an oil spill after an oil tanker sunk off the coast of Oriental Mindoro, south of Manila. The tanker, MT Princess Empress, was carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil when it sank on February 28 due to engine trouble and rough seas. Marine experts estimate that about 36,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass are in danger of being damaged. The spill has also prompted authorities to ban fishing and swimming in contaminated waters, halting the livelihood of countless residents who rely on fishing and tourism to survive. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)