At least 18 people have died after a ferry carrying more than 350 people capsized off the southern Philippine province of Basilan, officials said Monday.
Philippine Ferry Capsizing: Rescue Efforts Underway
The accident occurred after midnight as the passenger vessel, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was traveling to Jolo Island in southern Sulu after departing from the port city of Zamboanga.
The vessel had 332 passengers and 27 crew members on board, according to the Philippine coastguard. A distress signal was issued at 1:50 a.m. on Monday, approximately four hours after departure.
The ferry sank about one nautical mile (nearly 2km) from the island village of Baluk-baluk in Basilan province. Many of the survivors were initially taken to that location, the coastguard reported.
As of the latest tally, 317 people have been rescued, with 18 confirmed dead and 24 remaining unaccounted for. The search-and-rescue operation is ongoing and involves Navy and Air Force assets.
Rescued passengers needing medical attention were transported to a hospital in Isabela, the capital city of Basilan. “The challenge here really is the number of patients that are coming in. We are short-staffed at the moment,” said medic Ronalyn Perez.
Governor Mujiv Hataman of Basilan shared video clips from Isabela port on Facebook, showing survivors being assisted off boats, some wrapped in thermal blankets and others on stretchers. Hataman reported that most survivors were in stable condition, but some elderly passengers required urgent medical care.
Authorities are currently verifying the passenger manifest as rescue efforts continue.
The cause of the sinking is currently under investigation. The coastguard stated that the ferry was cleared for departure from Zamboanga port and showed no signs of being overloaded.
Sea accidents are common in the Philippine archipelago due to frequent storms, poorly maintained vessels, overcrowding, and inconsistent safety regulation enforcement, particularly in remote areas.
On Friday, two Filipino sailors were killed and 15 others rescued after a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel sank en route to China from Mindanao. Four sailors remain missing. A private vessel also sank off the Davao region in Mindanao last Monday, resulting in at least six deaths and nine missing individuals.
The world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster occurred in December 1987, when the ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker in the central Philippines, claiming over 4,300 lives.
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