MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 17, 2013) – A U.S. Navy mine sweeper ran aground on Tubattaha Reef in the Sulu Sea in the Philippines, but there was no immediate reports of fuel or oil leaks, officials said Thursday.
Officials said the USS Guardian hit the protected atoll late Wednesday and the extent of damage to the coral reef is also unknown as Filipino and U.S. officials would not give details of the accident, except that the ship came from Subic Bay in Zambales province in Luzon Island.
Tubbataha, a marine sanctuary, is just 98 nautical miles southeast of Palawan province.
The 68-meter USS Guardian, manned by a crew of 62 officers and sailors, is based in Japan and equipped with Mine neutralization system and two .50 caliber machine guns.
U.S. troops are deployed in the Philippines and training Filipino soldiers in anti-terrorism warfare. (Mindanao Examiner)
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