MANILA: Philippine authorities said at least 52 people have died and 24 remain missing after the roll on roll off passenger ferry MV Trisha Kerstin 3 sank off Basilan in the country’s south, one of the deadliest maritime incidents this year in the archipelago. The Department of Transportation said on Feb. 11 it had verified 293 survivors as it continued reconciling passenger lists and rescue records.
The ferry, operated by Aleson Shipping Lines, was traveling from Zamboanga City to Jolo in Sulu when it went down in waters near Baluk Baluk Island off Basilan on Jan. 26. Coast guard units, local responders and nearby vessels carried out overnight rescues, bringing survivors to ports and hospitals in Isabela City, the capital of Basilan, officials said.
Authorities initially reported that more than 300 people were rescued as the search expanded across the area. The Philippine Coast Guard said the number of passengers had to be revised after checks showed some listed travelers did not board, a problem that complicated accounting for those on board. Officials later shifted from rescue to recovery operations as bodies were located and retrieved.
In its Feb. 11 update, the Department of Transportation said validation work had produced a tally of 52 recovered bodies and 24 people still unaccounted for, alongside 293 verified survivors. The agency noted the vessel’s authorized passenger capacity of 352 and said it was reviewing documentation and port procedures tied to the ship’s departure, including how cargo and passengers were recorded.
Validation and oversight under review
Transport officials said preliminary findings raised questions about compliance with safety requirements before the ferry left port. The Department of Transportation said investigators found rolling cargo such as trucks and motorcycles were not weighed prior to departure, and it cited overloading as a possible factor under review. The agency also said it was examining whether ship certifications, seaworthiness documents, and maintenance and drydocking records were in order.
The same inquiry flagged problems with passenger documentation, the department said, describing the manifest as inaccurate and noting that verification was ongoing. Officials said administrative cases were being prepared against the operator and personnel connected to oversight and port operations, while investigators gathered records and statements related to the vessel’s voyage and the circumstances of the sinking.
Operator fleet grounded
In the days after the disaster, the Department of Transportation ordered the grounding of Aleson Shipping Lines’ passenger fleet to allow inspections and safety audits. Officials said other shipping companies could continue operating in the region to ease transport disruptions, and coast guard assets were positioned to support travel in island areas where ferries are a primary link between provinces.
The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, relies heavily on maritime transport for daily travel and commerce, and accidents remain a recurring risk. Transport officials have repeatedly cited overcrowding, documentation lapses and inconsistent safety enforcement as persistent challenges, and the department said it would pursue accountability measures in the MV Trisha Kerstin 3 case as the investigation proceeds. – By Content Syndication Services.