MANILA, Philippines—A Philippine oil tanker sank in Manila Bay early Thursday after encountering huge waves, leaving a crewman dead, and 16 others rescued in a late-night operation by the coast guard. The force was also assessing whether the vessel was leaking oil—in what could be a major spill—that could reach the bustling capital.
The tanker Terra Nova left Bataan Province en route to the central Province of Iloilo with about 1.4 million liters (370,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil stored in watertight tanks when it got lashed by huge waves and took on water. The crew struggled to steer the tanker back to port but it eventually sank shortly after midnight, coast guard spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said, citing statements from surviving crew members.
