The death toll from a ferry accident in the Southern Philippines has risen to at least 15, with 316 people rescued, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported on Monday. Dozens remain missing as search efforts continue.
The incident occurred at 1:50 a.m. local time on Monday when the passenger vessel MV Trisha Kerstin 3 was traveling from Zamboanga to Jolo in Sulu province. The vessel, authorized to carry 352 passengers, had 332 passengers and 27 crew members on board at the time of the accident.
Search and rescue operations have been aided by relatively calm waters, Coast Guard Commander Romel Dua of the Southern Mindanao District said. Twenty-eight people are still missing, and authorities are investigating the cause of the accident. Military aircraft and vessels have been deployed to assist the rescue mission.
Basilan province Governor Mujiv Hataman shared footage from Mindanao’s Isabela port showing survivors being brought ashore, some wrapped in thermal blankets, others carried on stretchers. He told DZBB radio that most survivors are in good condition, though several elderly passengers required emergency medical care. Authorities are also cross-checking the passenger manifest as rescue efforts continue.
Ferry accidents remain a persistent hazard in the Philippines, an archipelago of over 7,000 islands, which has a mixed record on maritime safety.
