CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — One person died after a vessel capsized while conducting loading operations at the Apo Cement Port in Naga City late Wednesday night, March 11, 2026.
The Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas (PCGCV) identified the vessel as MV Theresa I, which capsized while docked at Berth 1 of the port.
Ensign Cris Arriesgado, information officer of the PCGCV, clarified that the fatality was not part of the ship’s crew but a cement handler working at the Apo Cement facility during the loading operation.
The incident was first reported at around 10:13 p.m. when the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) of Naga City informed the Coast Guard Substation Naga about the capsizing.
Responding personnel from the Coast Guard’s Deployable Response Group (DRG) and Marine Environmental Protection Response Team (MEPERT) immediately proceeded to the area to verify the report and provide assistance.
Initial investigation revealed that the vessel began listing to its port side while loading operations were ongoing.
The crew attempted to correct the imbalance through de-ballasting, but the vessel later shifted its list to the starboard side and eventually capsized at around 9:58 p.m., but an engine department crew member became trapped inside the vessel’s engine room.
Rescue teams conducted a technical operation, boring a hole in the port quarter portion of the hull that remained above water.
At around 12:58 a.m. on March 12, the hole was completed, allowing Coast Guard personnel to reach and safely extract the trapped crew member by 1:18 a.m.
The rescued individual was immediately turned over to the Naga City medical response team for assessment, while all 19 crew members of the vessel were reported safe.
Tragically, the cement handler was struck by a mooring line that snapped during the capsizing. The victim was rushed to the Vicente Mendiola Center for Health Infirmary but was declared dead on arrival by attending physicians.
In response to potential environmental hazards, the PCGCV deployed approximately 100 meters of oil spill boom around the vessel to contain any possible fuel leakage. The MV Theresa I was reported to be carrying around 15,500 liters of diesel fuel and 500 liters of lube oil. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely while arrangements are made for an accredited salvor to safely siphon the remaining fuel on board.
The PCG continues to investigate the incident to determine the exact cause of the capsizing. In the meantime, the PCG remains committed to maritime safety, rapid emergency response, and environmental protection.
| Written by Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/RAE
