Ferry with hundreds on board sinks in southern Philippines, at least 15 dead
Philippine Coast Guard (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
During the night of January 26, the ferry Trisha Kerstin 3 sank in southern Philippine waters. There were 332 passengers and 27 crew members on board, according to the Associated Press.
The coast guard reported that at least 316 people have been rescued, while search operations for the missing are ongoing. Rescuers have already recovered at least 15 bodies, and 43 people are still considered missing.
The incident occurred about one nautical mile off the coast of Basilan province. The ferry was en route to Jolo Island in Sulu province when, according to preliminary information, it experienced technical problems and sank.
Rescue operations involve the coast guard, navy forces, air units, and local fishing boats. Some of the survivors and the bodies of the victims have been taken to the provincial administrative center, the city of Isabela.
The cause of the accident remains unknown, and an investigation is ongoing. Preliminary reports indicate that the ferry was not visibly overloaded and had passed a safety inspection before departure.
Maritime accidents are relatively common in the Philippines due to the country’s large number of islands, frequent stormy weather, and weak enforcement of safety standards on some vessels.
Earlier, a ferry carrying 15 crew members sank in Russia’s Kuban region.
The cargo ship Hai Li 5 sank off the coast of the Chinese city of Guangzhou after colliding with another vessel. Dozens of people were on board.
