BRP Gregorio del Pilar is being recovered after suffering damage.
Earlier this week, the Philippines Armed Forces confirmed that BRP Gregorio del Pilar (FF-15), a Hamilton -class cutter transferred by the United States in 2011 to the Philippine Navy, had run aground in the South China Sea. The vessel hit shallow waters off the partially submerged Half Moon Shoal (also known as Hasa-Hasa Shoal) off Palawan Island. The waters where the vessel ran aground are disputed by other South China Sea claimant states, notably including China.
Col. Noel Detoyato, a spokesperson for the Philippine Armed Forces, confirmed that the vessel had run aground, noting that there were no casualties from the accident. A Philippine military report cited in local news reports noted that the Gregorio del Pilar was “grounded from bow to amidship and propellers were also damaged.”
“The crew inspected all spaces and there were no noted flooding,” it added. “An investigation is expected in such situations to find out the possible causes of the grounding and to come up with steps to ensure that similar incidents will be prevented,” Detoyato added.
Named for the Filipino revolutionary general, the 3,250 ton BRP Gregorio del Pilar is the flagship of the Philippine Navy. The vessel was decommissioned by the U. S. Coast Guard in March 2011 and the Philippine Navy took delivery later that year. The ship was commissioned after a minor period of refurbishment in December 2011.
