MANILA, Philippines – The plans for the wreck removal of the M/V Princess of the Stars, the 23,000 gross ton ship that has been surbmerged in the waters of Sibuyan Island for the last 13 months, have been made and the divers are already in place, but bad weather reportedly prevents the salvaging firm from going full blast with its operation.

But PCG-Marine Safety Services (MSS) deputy chief of staff Commander Allan de la Vega yesterday said that plans for the phase three or wreck removal of M/V Princess of the Stars has been approved two weeks ago, but until yesterday the salvaging firm, CV Gaspar Salvage and Lighterage Corp. has made little progress because of the weather woes. “Gaspar has already deployed some of its equipment, personnel and divers in the area but the progress of their operations has been slow because of the bad weather. From June to September, the waters of the Sibuyan Island is vulnerable because of the hangin habagat (southwest monsoon),” said Dela Vega. “We are really dependent on the weather. They make day-to-day plans.”

Oftentimes the waters in the area are rough and they would only be endangering the lives of the divers if they continued with their operations because of the strong underwater current. The POTS Task Force, the ship’s new owner Royal Jessan Petromin Resources, Inc. as well as Gaspar are hoping that the weather would improve by October when there is already a northeast monsoon or (hangin amihan). He recalled that the previous salvor company, Harbor Star, that conducted the removal of the chemicals and retrieved the bodies from the ship, accomplished majority of its works in October last year.

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