A passenger ferry carrying more than 350 people sank near Basilan island in the southern Philippines early on Monday, prompting a large-scale rescue operation that has so far saved hundreds but also confirmed multiple fatalities. Authorities said rescue teams have recovered 13 bodies while at least 244 passengers have been pulled alive from the water, as efforts continue to locate anyone still missing.
The vessel, identified as M/V Trisha Kerstin 3, was an inter-island cargo and passenger ferry travelling from the port city of Zamboanga to Jolo island in Sulu province. According to coast guard officials, the ferry was carrying 332 passengers along with 27 crew members when it encountered what appeared to be technical difficulties shortly after midnight and subsequently sank.
Officials said the ferry went down in relatively calm weather conditions about one nautical mile, or nearly two kilometres, off the island village of Baluk-baluk in Basilan province. Many of the survivors were initially brought to this nearby area before being transferred to safer locations for medical care and assessment.
The rescue operation involved a coordinated response by multiple agencies. Coast guard and navy vessels were deployed to the scene, supported by a surveillance aircraft, an air force Black Hawk helicopter and numerous local fishing boats that rushed in to assist those struggling in the water, according to coast guard commander Romel Dua.
Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman said that several survivors and some of the deceased were transported to Isabela, the provincial capital, where ambulances and emergency personnel were waiting at the pier. Speaking by phone, Hataman said dozens of survivors were received there, but confirmed that two of those brought in were already dead.
The Philippine Coast Guard later confirmed that 244 passengers had been rescued alive and that 13 bodies had been recovered as of the latest update. Officials said search and rescue efforts were ongoing, with teams continuing to scan the surrounding waters in case more survivors or victims are found.
The exact cause of the sinking has not yet been determined. Coast guard officials said an investigation would be launched to establish what led to the incident. They added that the ferry had been cleared before departure from Zamboanga port and that there were no initial indications of overloading.
Maritime accidents remain a recurring problem in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands, where inter-island travel by sea is common. Such incidents are often linked to storms, ageing or poorly maintained vessels, overcrowding and weak enforcement of safety regulations, particularly in remote areas.
The country has witnessed some of the world’s deadliest peacetime sea disasters. One of the most tragic occurred in December 1987, when the ferry Dona Paz collided with a fuel tanker in central Philippine waters, killing more than 4,300 people and marking the deadliest maritime accident in peacetime history.
