Additional Coverage:
Tragic Ferry Sinking Off Southern Philippines Claims Lives, Rescuers Race Against Time
BASILAN PROVINCE, Philippines – A devastating maritime incident unfolded early Monday morning near an island in the southern Philippines, as the M/V Trisha Kerstin 3, a cargo and passenger ferry, sank with over 350 individuals on board. As of the latest reports, rescuers have managed to save at least 316 passengers, but the tragedy has claimed the lives of 15 individuals, with search efforts continuing.
The inter-island ferry, carrying 332 passengers and 27 crew members, was en route from the port city of Zamboanga to Jolo island in Sulu province when it reportedly encountered technical problems and went down shortly after midnight. Coast guard officials confirmed that the sinking occurred approximately one nautical mile (nearly 2 kilometers) from the island village of Baluk-baluk in Basilan province, despite favorable weather conditions.
Coast guard Commander Romel Dua highlighted the swift response, crediting a safety officer on board the ferry who made the initial distress call, allowing rescue vessels to be deployed promptly. The safety officer is among the survivors.
However, the accounts of those rescued paint a harrowing picture of the incident. Mohamad Khan, one of the survivors, recounted the terrifying moments when the ferry suddenly tilted, taking on water and plunging passengers, including himself, his wife, and their 6-month-old baby, into the dark sea.
While Mr. Khan and his wife were rescued, their infant tragically drowned.
“My wife lost hold of our baby and all of us got separated at sea,” a distraught Khan shared with volunteer rescuer Gamar Alih, who posted a video of Khan’s emotional testimony online. Mr. Alih, a village councilor from Zamboanga City, volunteered in the search and rescue efforts as some of his relatives were on board, all of whom thankfully survived.
The scale of the rescue operation is extensive, involving coast guard and navy ships, a surveillance plane, an air force Black Hawk helicopter, and numerous fishing boats, all actively searching off the coast of Basilan. Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman was on hand at Isabela, the provincial capital, where several passengers and two bodies were brought ashore.
“I’m receiving 37 people here in the pier. Unfortunately two are dead,” Governor Hataman stated from the Isabela pier.
While the immediate cause of the ferry’s sinking remains unclear, an investigation is expected. Coast guard officials confirmed that the ferry had been cleared before departing Zamboanga port, and there were no initial signs of overloading.
Sea accidents are a persistent concern in the Philippine archipelago, frequently attributed to severe weather, poorly maintained vessels, overcrowding, and inconsistent enforcement of safety regulations, particularly in remote areas. This recent tragedy tragically echoes past maritime disasters in the region, including the infamous 1987 sinking of the Dona Paz, which remains the world’s deadliest peacetime maritime disaster.