US Navy Gets 'Slap on the Wrist' Fine for Ramming Into Pristine Philippine Reef

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/04/08-2



Part of the Guardian being removed by a crane on March 26, 2013.

US Navy Gets 'Slap on the Wrist' Fine for Ramming Into Pristine Philippine Reef
- Andrea Germanos, staff writer
Published on Monday, April 8, 2013 by Common Dreams

The U.S. government has been fined $1.5 million for damages the Navy caused when one of its minesweepers rammed into a World Heritage-listed coral reef in the Philippines, officials announced on Monday.

2,345.67 square meters of the Tubbataha reef were damaged, according to an assessment led by US Navy marine biologist Lee Shannon from April 3 - 5, far less than the 4,100 square meters the previous survey had estimated were damaged when the USS Guardian smashed into the reef.

Tubbataha Reef park superintendent Angelique Songco slammed the fine as merely "a slap on the wrist" for the US.

UPI reports that Former Philippine Sen. Jamby Madrigal, author of the Tubbataha Protected Area Act, called the fine "loose change compared to the long-term damage to the reef" and said "offenders must be taught hard lessons."



unhappycamper comment: Four US Navy folks were fired; a $277 million dollar minesweeper had to be cut up for removal; salvage operations were around $30 ~ $40 million dollars and the united States government got a $1.5 million dollar fine.

Maps, accurate GPS, the OOD and onwatch sailors were unable to miss the reef.

$1.5 million dollars is a real bargain is you think about it.