MANILA – A ferry carrying over 350 passengers plunged into rough seas off the southern Philippines early Monday, claiming at least 18 lives and leaving 24 people unaccounted for, the Philippine Coast Guard reported. The MV Trisha Kerstin 3, a 44-meter triple-decker vessel operated by Aleson Shipping Lines, sent a distress signal at 1:50 a.m. local time, roughly four hours after departing Zamboanga City port on Mindanao’s southwestern tip. It sank about 5 kilometers east of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan province amid choppy waters, echoing the tragic route of the Lady Mary Joy 3, which caught fire in 2023 and killed 31 people under the same ownership.
Coast Guard rescuers have so far saved 317 individuals, with ongoing search efforts hampered by short-staffed teams and a flood of anxious calls from families. In Isabela City, emergency responder Ronalyn Perez described the strain: “The challenge is the number of patients arriving, we’re short-staffed,” as videos captured survivors wrapped in blankets, shouting for help in the dark, and victims in body bags. Survivor accounts highlight treacherous conditions, though the vessel was not overloaded, officials said.
Coast Guard spokesperson Noemie Cayabyab noted rough seas played a role, while commander Romel Dua emphasized rescue priorities over probing the cause, which a marine investigation will address. Aleson Shipping Lines expressed condolences, vowing close cooperation with authorities. The Philippines, home to 116 million people across over 7,000 islands, has endured repeated ferry disasters due to reliance on often poorly regulated vessels. Past incidents include a 2015 Leyte capsizing that killed over 60 and the 1987 Dona Paz collision, the world’s deadliest peacetime maritime tragedy with more than 4,000 fatalities.