‘Cargo liquefaction may have caused Devon Bay’s sinking’

January 27, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Liquefaction of the nickel ore cargo of MV Devon Bay may have caused shifting in the weight of the 55,000-ton load, forcing the vessel to tilt to one side and capsize near Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal last Jan. 23, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said yesterday, citing statements from the ship’s crew.

“The initial statements of the crew suggest that the cargo – it was carrying around 55,000 tons of nickel ore and there was liquefaction. The moisture content of the cargo caused the shifting of the weight to the left side of the ship or the port side… and the weather was not good. There were big waves. That is the initial suspicion that we have, no conclusive data yet,” PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said.

Gavan arrived early yesterday at Pier 13, South Harbor in Manila and met with 15 survivors as well as witnessed the arrival of the remains of two casualties onboard the BRP Teresa Magbanua. The ill-fated cargo ship had 21 officers and crewmembers.

“The 15 rescued seafarers are in generally stable condition,” the Department of Migrant Workers said in a statement.

The China Coast Guard helped in the rescue of officers and crew of the Singaporean-flagged Devon Bay. The ship’s captain Elimar Jucal and three crewmen remain missing.

The PCG commandant expressed his gratitude to the CCG for assisting the Filipino seafarers in distress.

“We appreciate the effort of the China Coast Guard, for heeding our call, because we dispatched a message, as soon as we received the distress call in accordance with the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue manual,” Gavan said.

“We dispatched a call to all MRCCs (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centers) all over the world to render aid to a vessel in distress and we thank the China Coast Guard for also listening to our call, for conducting the search and rescue operations and for the very orderly handover of the survivors and the deceased persons to the Philippine Coast Guard,” he said. Gavan also praised the heroism of the ship’s captain.

“At this point, actually, what I want to highlight is the heroism of the captain of M/V Devon Bay, Captain Elimar Jucal from Negros Occidental. He did not abandon his crew, he was not the first person to leave the ship. In fact, he is one of the four people who remain missing up to now. We are still searching for him,” he said.

The 15 survivors were subjected to medical assessment, while the two fatalities were turned over to the Bureau of Quarantine.

The vessel capsized 141 nautical miles west of Pangasinan while en route from Zamboanga del Norte to China. — Rhodina Villanueva

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