A ferry carrying more than 350 passengers and crew capsized and sank in the southern Basilan province of the Philippines. At least seven bodies have been recovered so far, according to reports from Al Jazeera on Monday (January 26).
The vessel, identified as the MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was traveling from Zamboanga Port toward Jolo Island when the incident occurred early Monday morning local time.
Search and Rescue Operations
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) provided the following breakdown of those onboard:
Commander Rommel Dua of the South Mindanao Coast Guard district confirmed that rescue operations are ongoing to locate the 144 individuals still missing. However, local figures vary slightly; Basilan Emergency Service official Ronalin Perez told AFP that 138 people had been rescued so far, with 18 shifted to a local hospital.
Official Statements
Basilan Town Mayor Arsina Laza Kahing-Nanoh shared footage of the rescue efforts on Facebook, showing emergency workers pulling survivors from the water and recovering bodies. She noted that initial reports suggested at least eight casualties.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the disaster.
Recent Maritime Incidents
This tragedy follows another maritime accident last Friday, where a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel sank while en route from Mindanao to China. That incident resulted in the deaths of at least two Filipino sailors, with 15 rescued and four still missing.
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