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Coast Guard officials in Western Visayas, Philippines, are said to be on alert for a possible bunker spill following the sinking of the cargo ship MV Maria Lourdes.

The vessel, which was carrying 22,000 bags of cement, was en route to San Jose, Mindoro from Iligan City when it sank three miles off Sibay Island, near Caluya Island in Antique, between 5:00 and 6.30 pm on Tuesday.

MV Maria Lourdes encountered large waves and strong winds and was already listing on one side before it sank. The ship is said to be owned by Candano Shipping Lines, Inc..

Coast Guard Commander Harold Jarder is reported to have said that diesel fuel in the vessel's tank may leak out into the water. The Coast Guard is monitoring the situation for a possible oil spill from the sunken ship.

The vessel's chief engineer, Alex Tambasin, was the lone casualty. At least 19 other crew members were rescued.

Jarder said the Coast Guard had already called off the search and rescue operation because all crew embers had been accounted for.

Two years ago, the Western Visayas Coast Gaard had to deal with the country's worst oil spill in Guimaras.

Earlier this year, it took almost four months to extract the bunker fuel from the capsized ferry MV Princess of the Stars, which sank on June 22nd carrying more than 740 people on board.

Fears of a massive oil spill complicated early efforts to recover bodies from inside the ferry. Some 250,000 liters of bunker fuel were eventually extracted from the capsized vessel in October.