MANILA — A passenger ferry carrying more than 350 people sank shortly after midnight Monday near an island in the southern Philippines, leaving at least 15 people dead while rescue teams saved more than 300 others, authorities said.
The Philippines Coast Guard said the inter-island ferry M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 was travelling from Zamboanga City to Jolo Island in Sulu when it encountered apparent technical problems and went down after midnight.
Officials said the vessel was carrying 332 passengers and 27 crew members when it sank about one nautical mile off the village of Baluk-baluk near Basilan.
Large-scale rescue operation
Coast Guard commander Romel Dua said a coast guard safety officer onboard the ferry was able to alert authorities before the vessel went under, triggering a rapid rescue response.
“He was the first to call and alert us to deploy rescue vessels,” Dua said, adding that the safety officer survived.
Search-and-rescue operations involved coast guard and navy ships, a surveillance aircraft, an air force Black Hawk helicopter, and dozens of local fishing boats that rushed to assist survivors in the surrounding waters.
Many of the rescued passengers were initially taken to Basilan, where provincial officials coordinated emergency response efforts.
Casualties confirmed
Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman said survivors and victims were transported to the provincial capital, Isabela.
“I’m receiving 37 people here at the pier,” Hataman said. “Unfortunately, two are dead.”
By Monday morning, the coast guard confirmed that 316 passengers had been rescued and at least 15 bodies recovered. The search continued for any remaining missing passengers.
Cause under investigation
Authorities said the ferry sank in good weather conditions, and there were no immediate signs of overloading. The cause of the sinking remains unclear, and a formal investigation has been launched.
Sea accidents are relatively common in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands, where maritime travel is essential but often challenged by aging vessels, overcrowding, and inconsistent enforcement of safety regulations — particularly in remote areas.
The country has experienced several major maritime disasters, including the 1987 sinking of the ferry Dona Paz, which killed more than 4,300 people and remains the world’s deadliest peacetime maritime accident.
Rescue operations near Basilan were ongoing as authorities worked to account for all passengers and crew aboard the vessel.