A deadly overnight ferry disaster in the southern Philippines has left at least 15 people dead, with dozens more still missing after a passenger vessel carrying more than 350 people sank at sea.
The M/V Trisha Kerstin 3, a combined cargo and passenger ferry, ran into technical trouble before going down near Baluk-Baluk Island, according to Philippine coast guard officials. Rescuers were able to save at least 215 people, but officials warned the death toll is expected to rise as search operations continue.
Mujiv Hataman, governor of the island province of Basilan, said survivors and victims were brought to Isabela, the provincial capital, as rescue efforts unfolded through the night.
“I’m receiving 37 people here at the pier. Unfortunately, two are dead,” Hataman told the Associated Press while standing at the Isabela pier. Authorities later confirmed that at least 15 bodies had been recovered.
According to local reports, the ferry sent out a distress signal in the early hours of Monday before sinking. Social media footage from the scene shows terrified passengers wearing life jackets, screaming in the water as the vessel went down. Some clung to floating debris — including suitcases — to stay afloat while waiting for help.
Additional images showed Philippine Coast Guard crews working through the darkness, pulling survivors from the sea and transporting them to safety.
Officials said the ferry encountered serious mechanical issues before capsizing, though the exact cause of the failure remains under investigation. Search-and-rescue teams are continuing to comb the area as families wait anxiously for word on missing loved ones.
The tragedy comes amid growing concerns about ferry safety in the region. Just months earlier, another ferry disaster made headlines when a vessel carrying 65 people sank off the coast of Bali, killing four.
Authorities have not yet released a full passenger manifest, and it remains unclear how many people are still unaccounted for. As rescue crews press on, officials say their priority is locating survivors and recovering victims as quickly as possible.
Discover more from True News Media
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
How does a “technical” issue – and then changed to a “mechanical” issue – sink a boat? As long as the hull is intact – a boat will float. So what “technical / mechanical” issue breached the integrity of the boat’s hull? Something very very fishy with this sinking and the one before it — which has nothing to do with the sea life there.
I thought the exact same thing. Technical or mechanical issues do NOT sink a boat. The article said it “capsized”, which means it turned over – keel up and what kind of issue can cause that to happen without a hull breach. Maybe it was overloaded, but ALL the ferries I’ve ever seen or been on were made to hold a certain number of people and vehicles if it’s that kind of ferry – and the vehicles are on the bottom decks, which actually make it more stable. Even if it was overloaded with people, I still can’t see that capsizing a ferry I’ve ever known. Maybe they don’t actually use “ferries” but boats that are not designed with the stability of a ferry and packing as many people on them as they can and that makes them vulnerable to capsizing. Noting the part of the world where this happened, that would not surprise me at all.