Ferry Carrying over 350 People Sinks in Philippines

Ferry Carrying over 350 People Sinks in Philippines

A ferry carrying over 350 people sank off the coast of Basilan province in the southern Philippines early Monday, leaving at least 18 people dead.

The vessel, identified as the MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was traveling from Zamboanga City to Jolo Island when it issued a distress signal at approximately 1:50 am.

Coast Guard Commander Romel Dua reported that at least 316 people have been rescued so far, though the number of those still missing remains uncertain.

Search and rescue operations are being supported by coast guard aircraft, as well as assets from the Philippine Navy and Air Force.

Initial reports from local officials indicated that the ferry was not overloaded and had been cleared for departure before the incident occurred.

Emergency responders in Basilan noted that local medical facilities are currently struggling to manage the sudden influx of survivors brought ashore.

Describing the strain on local resources, Basilan emergency responder Ronalyn Perez told the AFP news agency: “The challenge here really is the number of patients that are coming in. We are short-staffed at the moment.”

The cause of the sinking is not yet clear, and authorities have launched an investigation into the maritime accident as search efforts continue.