Oil tanker sinks in Manila Bay, raising concerns about possible major spill

Philippine-flagged motor tanker Terra Nova sinks in Manila Bay (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)

A Philippine oil tanker has sunk in Manila Bay after encountering huge waves, and the coastguard is working to determine whether the vessel was leaking oil after it rescued 16 or 17 crew members in a night-time operation, officials said.

The tanker Terra Nova left Bataan province en route to the central province of Iloilo with about 1.4 million litres of industrial fuel oil stored in watertight tanks when it was buffeted by huge waves and took on water.