(ANSA) - Manila, February 18 - The Philippine government on
Wednesday announced it has 1.97 million dollars in compensation
from the United States for damage a US Navy minesweeper caused
to a coral reef two years ago.
The foreign ministry said in a statement that Manila was paid
last month for the damage caused by the USS Guardian when it
rammed into the Tobbataha Reef Marine Park, a UNESCO World
Heritage site.
The money will be used for the environmental rehabilitation
of the area and to improve monitoring activities in order to
prevent similar incidents from happening again, the government
said.
The minesweeper in January 2013 remained stuck for two
months in the reef, damaging over 2,000 square meters of
protected reefs in the Sulu Sea, one of the most important
marine sanctuaries worldwide.
U.S. pays $2 mln to Philippines for damaging coral reef
Damage caused by U.S. Navy minesweeper