15 killed, 43 went missing after ferry sinks in Southern Philippines

At least 15 people were killed and a minimum of 43 remain missing after a passenger ferry carrying hundreds of people sank off the southern Philippine province of Basilan.

The incident occurred in the early hours on Monday (January 26).

The ferry, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was carrying 332 passengers and 27 crew members when it went down shortly after departing from Zamboanga City en route to Jolo Island in Mindanao.

The Philippine Coast Guard said 138 people have been rescued alive, with 18 currently receiving hospital treatment. Rescue operations are ongoing.

Basilan Mayor Arsina Laja Cathing Nanoh and officials from the Basilan unit of the Philippine Coast Guard confirmed the casualty figures. The exact cause of the sinking has yet to be determined.

Ronalin Perez, spokesperson for the disaster response team, told AFP that rescue efforts have been intensified with assistance from the Mindanao provincial administration. He said operations are being carried out jointly amid manpower constraints, with provincial authorities coordinating the response.

Maritime accidents are frequent in the Philippines, an archipelago nation of around 116 million people, due to aging vessels, overcrowding, and challenging sea conditions. In 2023, at least 30 people were killed in a ferry fire in the country’s south.