15 Dead, 28 Missing After Ferry Sinks Off Southern Philippines
The Philippine Coast Guard reported that the MV Trisha Kerstin 3, carrying more than 350 passengers, issued a distress call at about 1:50 a.m., more than four hours after departing Zamboanga City en route to Jolo Island
By : Mweru Mbugua
At least 15 people have been confirmed dead and 28 remain missing after a passenger ferry sank in rough seas off the southern Philippines early Monday, authorities said
The Philippine Coast Guard reported that the MV Trisha Kerstin 3, carrying more than 350 passengers, issued a distress call at about 1:50 a.m., more than four hours after departing Zamboanga City en route to Jolo Island
Coast guard commander Romel Dua told AFP that at least 316 passengers had been rescued as of Monday morning. Search and rescue operations were continuing, with assets from the Coast Guard, Navy, and Air Force deployed, including an aircraft to assist in the effort
The 44-metre, triple-deck ferry went down approximately five kilometres east of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan province. Survivors reported that sea conditions were rough at the time of the incident, according to Coast Guard spokeswoman Noemie Cayabyab
Emergency responders in Basilan said they were struggling to cope with the sudden influx of survivors. “The challenge really is the number of patients coming in. We are short-staffed at the moment,” said Ronalyn Perez, a local emergency responder, adding that at least 18 injured passengers had been taken to a nearby hospital
Video footage released by the Coast Guard showed survivors being pulled from the water and given medical treatment, while social media livestreams captured desperate calls for help in the darkness
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Authorities said the cause of the sinking remains under investigation. “We cannot say for now the reason for the sinking, but we have been instructed to conduct a marine casualty investigation,” Dua said, stressing that rescue efforts remain the top priority. The Coast Guard also stated that the ferry was not overloaded
The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, has a long history of deadly maritime accidents, often linked to aging vessels, poor regulation, and hazardous weather conditions. Past tragedies include a 2023 ferry fire that killed more than 30 people and the 1987 Dona Paz disaster, the world’s deadliest peacetime maritime accident, which claimed over 4,000 lives
