Typhoon Gaemi: ‘race against time’ to contain massive oil spill in Philippines

Coastguard reports 4km oil slick as strong winds hamper cleanup efforts after 25 die in the Philippines and Taiwan

• In pictures: monsoon rains strike the Philippines

The Philippines coastguard said it was “racing against time” to contain a massive oil spill that was at risk of becoming the biggest in the country’s history.

The MT Terra Nova, a Philippine-flagged tanker carrying 1.4m litres of oil, capsized in Manila Bay in the early hours of Thursday, as Typhoon Gaemi charged through the busy shipping route, whipping up aggressive winds and leaving 25 people dead in Taiwan and the Philippines.