Philippines ferry disaster: 13 dead, 100+ missing from vessel carrying over 350

13 dead, dozens missing as ferry with over 350 aboard sinks in Philippines

At least 13 bodies have been recovered, and more than 100 people remain missing after an inter-island ferry carrying over 350 passengers and crew sank early Monday in waters off Basilan province in the southern Philippines, authorities said.

The Philippine Coast Guard in Southwestern Mindanao said the M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 was en route from Zamboanga City to Jolo Island in Sulu province when it sank near Baluk-baluk Island in Hadji Muhtamad municipality, Basilan. At the time, the vessel had 332 passengers and 27 crew members on board.

Coast Guard commander Romel Dua told reporters the ferry went down after midnight due to a technical malfunction, about a nautical mile from the coastal village. “244 passengers have been rescued and 13 bodies found,” he said.

Emergency response teams, including coast guard and navy ships, a surveillance aircraft, an air force Black Hawk helicopter, and local fishing boats, have been deployed to search for missing passengers. Many rescued passengers were initially brought to Basilan, while others were transferred to the provincial capital, Isabela, where Governor Mujiv Hataman confirmed survivors’ arrivals. “I’m receiving 37 people here in the pier. Unfortunately two are dead,” he said.

The cause of the sinking is under investigation. Authorities noted that the ferry had passed safety inspections before leaving Zamboanga and showed no sign of overloading.

Maritime accidents are common in the Philippines due to frequent storms, poorly maintained vessels, overcrowding, and uneven enforcement of safety regulations, especially in remote provinces. The tragedy recalls the 1987 ferry Doña Paz disaster, in which over 4,300 people died after a collision with a fuel tanker, the deadliest peacetime maritime accident in history.

Authorities have urged strict adherence to maritime safety standards as search and rescue operations continue in challenging conditions.