Oil tanker explodes off Philippines coastline

MANILA - The Philippine coastguard said today an oil tanker had exploded off the coast of Bataan province, west of Manila.

George de Jesus, a member of the Philippine coastguard, said rescue operations were underway.

Radio reports said two crew members were critically injured. There were no immediate reports of fatalities or the cause of the explosion.

The Philippines' largest oil refiner, Petron Corp, has a 180,000 barrels per day oil refinery at Limay on the southern tip of Bataan. No one from the company was immediately available for comment.

The Philippine Department of Energy was checking reports of the explosion.

- REUTERS