STORY: Authorities in the Philippines believe they've located the wreck of the oil tanker that sank off its coast last week, creating an oil spill.

And like so many similar accidents before it, left local communities in fear of how much damage is going to be done to the environment and their own livelihoods before it's over.

This is the province of Oriental Mindoro. From the sky you can see the accumulating oil slick on its beaches - the dark patches in the sea and sand.

The sunken ship is thought to be 1,200 feet below sea level and was carrying 211,000 gallons of oil when it went down, and it's not yet known how much oil has escaped.

Florante Favroa is a fisherman. The government has halted fishing operations and now he says he's afraid he won't be able to afford to feed his children. He also said pollution has given him headaches and pain in his nose.

Philip Servancia is another fisherman nearby. He's saying that the people are are using buckets and sacks to pick up the little oil they can.

It's still not clear what caused the tanker, called the MT Princess Empress, to sink. Although the coast guard has said it suffered engine trouble in rough seas. All 20 crew members were rescued before it went down.

The local governor has promised to seek compensation for the disaster. About 89,000 acres of coral reef, mangroves, and sea-grass are potentially affected.