Ship finds tanker responsible for Philippines oil spill

A Japanese survey ship has found a sunken tanker, three weeks after it went down in rough seas, causing the Philippines' worst oil spill.

The Philippines coastguard says the Japanese vessel found the wreck in deep water off Guimaras island after carrying out a sonar sweep of the area.

A remote-controlled submersible will also be deployed to check on the condition of the ill-fated tanker and to determine how it can be raised or its cargo of half-a-million gallons of oil, siphoned off.

The coastguard said it expected the clean-up to take more than six months.

Marine experts and biologists from Australia, the United States and France are in the area, alongside environmental groups.

- RADIO AUSTRALIA