On Monday (January 26), in the early morning hours, a major maritime accident occurred in the southern Philippines. A ferry carrying over 350 people sank while en route to Sulu Province. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, at least 15 people have been confirmed dead, 316 rescued, and search and rescue teams are still working tirelessly to locate the 28 missing individuals.
The accident took place around 1:50 a.m. local time on Monday when the inter-island passenger and cargo ferry “MV Trisha Kerstin 3” capsized. The vessel was on its journey from Zamboanga to Jolo Island in Sulu Province, near Baluk-baluk Island in Basilan Province, approximately one nautical mile from the shore, allegedly due to “technical issues.”
Despite the incident occurring in the late hours of the night, the sea conditions were calm, aiding in the progress of the rescue operation.
Commander Romel Dua of the Philippine Coast Guard mentioned that the promptness of the rescue operation was facilitated by the presence of a safety officer on board the ferry.
Dua stated in an interview with the Associated Press, “There was a safety officer from the Coast Guard on board at the time, who was the first to make a distress call and alerted us to deploy rescue ships.”
The officer was successfully rescued as well.
A large number of survivors have been transported to Isabela port in Basilan Province. Governor Mujiv Hataman personally oversaw the relocation efforts at the port, noting that most survivors are in stable condition, while some elderly passengers require urgent medical care.
Footage from the scene shows many survivors disembarking from the ship wrapped in blankets, while some injured individuals are being carried on stretchers.
Regarding the cause of the accident, the Philippine Coast Guard emphasized that the ferry was not overloaded.
Dua mentioned that the approved passenger capacity of the vessel was 352 individuals. At the time of the incident, there were 332 passengers and 27 crew members on board. The ferry had passed safety inspections before departure, and further investigation is needed to determine the exact cause of the accident.
The Philippine military has mobilized naval vessels, Air Force Black Hawk helicopters, surveillance aircraft, and civilian fishing boats to expand the search in the area where the accident occurred.
The Philippines, comprised of over 7,000 islands, has seen frequent maritime accidents due to poor vessel maintenance or lax regulation. The deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in the country occurred in 1987, when the “Dona Paz” incident claimed over 4,300 lives.
Authorities have stated that the current priority in the search and rescue effort is to locate the whereabouts of the 28 missing individuals.