From living water to toxic sludge: the Philippine island devastated by an oil spill - a photo essay

The slick from sunken tanker Princess Empress has harmed livelihoods, caused health problems and done untold damage to marine life. Can Mindoro island recover?Words and photographs by Alecs OngcalIt is a beautiful sunny day on Mindoro island but a nauseating stench fills the air and black sludge covers the beaches and rockpools. The cause? A massive oil spill off the eastern coast of the island, from the tanker Princess Empress, carrying 800,000 litres of industrial fuel oil when it sank on 28 February.The resultant oil slick, stretching for 75 miles, threatens hundreds of fishing communities near Pola, as well as biodiversity in more than 20 marine protected areas.Vicente Madera Jr's livelihood from fishing is under threat from the oil spilled from the MT Princess Empress, which capsized in February Continue reading...