Coast Guard: Taiwan to probe boat explosion off Manila

The Taiwan Coast Guard will lead an investigation into the boiler explosion that injured at least five crew members of a Taiwanese fishing boat off Manila on Monday. Philippine Coast Guard commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo on Tuesday said the PCG will likely play a supporting role in the Taiwan Coast Guard's probe. "The fishing boat boat was in high seas when the accident happened. Taiwan will handle the investigation but the Philippine Coast Guard will coordinate with it during the probe," Tamayo said in Filipino an interview on dwIZ radio. At least five crew members of the Taiwan vessel CT7-0039 (Ho-Chung), including one Taiwanese and four Indonesians, were injured in the explosion. Tamayo said that as of Monday night, two of the crew members remained in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Chinese General Hospital due to ammonia inhalation. He said the other three were safe. But he did not say who among the five were in the ICU. A report update on the Philippine Coast Guard website identified the five injured crew members as:

• Chen Cheng Hsiung, 58, Taiwanese;
• Ridwan Risdiyanto Dumat, 24, Indonesian;
• Joko Lesianto, 36, Indonesian;
• Hartoyo, 25, Indonesian; and
• Tri Susilowanto, 23, Indonesian

The PCG said the Taiwan vessel was around 100 miles from Manila early Monday when the boiler explosion occurred. “The vessel’s five crew members were reportedly severely affected after exposure to ammonia and suffered chest pains. The Coast Guard Action Center had established contact with fishing vessel Captain Hon Je-Chao through satellite phone and VHF radio," the PCG report said. — LBG/RSJ, GMA News