At least 15 people have been confirmed dead after a passenger ferry carrying more than 350 individuals capsized off the southern Philippine province of Basilan.
The Philippine Coast Guard disclosed that 316 passengers have so far been rescued, while 28 others remain missing.
The ferry, identified as MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was en route to Jolo Island in Sulu Province after departing Zamboanga City with 332 passengers listed on its manifest and 27 crew members on board.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight on Monday, about one nautical mile from the island village of Baluk-baluk in Basilan. The cause of the capsizing remains unknown and is under investigation, as the vessel had been cleared for departure with no indications of overloading.
Coast Guard Commander Romel Dua of the Southern Mindanao District said rescue operations were ongoing with support from multiple security agencies.
“A Coast Guard aircraft is also on the way to assist the operation. The Navy and Air Force have also deployed their assets,” Dua said.
He confirmed the 15 fatalities and noted that search efforts were continuing for those still missing. He added that the ferry sent a distress signal at 1:50 a.m. on Monday, about four hours after leaving port, before sinking in good weather conditions.
Survivors were first taken to Baluk-baluk before being transferred to medical facilities, where emergency responders reported hospitals were struggling to cope with the influx of patients.
“The challenge here really is the number of patients coming in. We are short-staffed at the moment,” said medic Ronalyn Perez.
Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman shared videos from Isabela Port on Facebook showing survivors disembarking from rescue boats, some wrapped in thermal blankets and others carried on stretchers. He told DZBB radio that most survivors were in stable condition, though elderly passengers required urgent medical attention.
Hataman added that authorities were still verifying the passenger manifest as rescue efforts continued, highlighting the challenges of coordinating the response given the large number of affected individuals.
Maritime accidents are common in the Philippines due to frequent storms, poorly maintained vessels, overcrowding, and weak enforcement of maritime safety regulations, particularly in remote areas.
The incident follows recent maritime accidents, including the sinking of a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel en route from Mindanao to China, in which two Filipino sailors were reported dead, 15 rescued, and four remain missing. Last week, a private boat also sank off the Davao region, leaving six people dead and nine missing.
In one of the deadliest maritime disasters in history, the ferry Doña Paz sank in December 1987 after colliding with a fuel tanker in the central Philippines, killing more than 4,300 people.
