At least 18 people have been confirmed dead and 24 others remain missing after a ferry carrying more than 350 passengers sank off the southern Philippine province of Basilan on Monday, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. The incident was reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
In a statement, the Coast Guard said the 44-meter-long, three-deck ferry, MV Trisha Kerstin-3, went down about five kilometers east of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan province. The vessel sent a distress signal at around 1:50 a.m., about four hours after departing from Zamboanga City port in southwestern Mindanao.
The ferry sank along the same route where another vessel, Lady Mary Joy-3, caught fire in 2023, killing 31 people. Both ferries are owned by local operator Aleson Shipping Lines.
According to the latest Coast Guard figures, at least 317 passengers have been rescued so far. The death toll has been confirmed at 18, while search and rescue operations are ongoing to locate the 24 people still missing.
Coast Guard Commander Rommel Dulla said an investigation has been ordered to determine the cause of the दुर्घটি.
“We need to establish what led to the sinking of the vessel,” he said.
A video released by the governor of Basilan showed barefoot survivors being carried on stretchers, wrapped in blankets, while bodies of the deceased were transported in body bags.
Sheryl Balando, a rescuer in Isabela City, said offices receiving rescued passengers were being flooded with phone calls from anxious relatives.
“Every call is painful to answer. You can hear fear and panic in their voices,” she said, adding that authorities were unable to provide a final list of names as rescue operations were still underway.
In a television interview, Coast Guard spokesperson Noemi Cayabyab said survivors reported that the sea was very rough at the time of the incident.
Basilan emergency officer Ronalin Perez told AFP that local services were struggling to cope with the sudden influx of injured and rescued passengers.
“The biggest problem right now is the number of patients. We are short of manpower,” she said, adding that at least 18 people had been admitted to a local hospital.
Rescue teams continue to search the area as families wait anxiously for news of their loved ones.
