Philippine Ferry with Around 350 Aboard Sinks – What We Know About the Tragedy

It began like any other overnight voyage until the darkness was pierced by a distress call, frantic rescue efforts, and cries from the sea. What happened off the coast of the southern Philippines has left families reeling, officials scrambling, and a nation once again asking hard questions.

A routine journey turned into a deadly nightmare in the early hours of Monday morning when a crowded inter-island ferry, the MV Trisha Kerstin 3, sank suddenly off the southern Philippines, hurling hundreds into the pitch-black sea.

The vessel had been traveling from Zamboanga City on Mindanao to Jolo Island in Sulu province when it went down near Basilan, just after a frantic distress call was sent at 1:50 a.m. local time.

Authorities revealed the ferry was carrying 359 people, out of which 332 were passengers and 27 were crew members. Some 316 to 317 were pulled from the dark, frigid water, but the death toll has risen to at least 18, and at least 24 remain unaccounted for.

A Night of Horror

The MV Trisha Kerstin 3 was less than two kilometers from the village of Baluk-baluk when it tilted sharply and began to sink. Coast guard officials confirmed the vessel had technical issues, though the exact cause is still under investigation.

"There was a coast guard safety officer on board, and he was the first to call and alert us to deploy rescue vessels," Coast guard Commander Romel Dua confirmed. Miraculously, the officer survived the sinking.

Survivors described being jolted awake as the ferry listed to one side before passengers were violently thrown overboard. Mohamad Khan, one of the rescued, recalled the chilling moment he and his wife were separated from their baby in the chaos.

"My wife lost hold of our baby, and all of us got separated at sea," he told rescuers in a heart-wrenching Facebook video posted by volunteer Gamar Alih. The six-month-old baby did not survive.

Volunteer Rescuers Brave Dangerous Waters to Save Lives

Alih, a village councilor from Zamboanga City, rushed to help as news broke of the catastrophe. His own relatives were on the ferry.

He later confirmed to the Associated Press that his family had survived. Driven by the magnitude of the tragedy, he joined rescue efforts, capturing emotional footage of survivors, including Khan's wife, who was seen sobbing uncontrollably.

While authorities initially claimed the weather was calm at the time of the disaster, coast guard spokesperson Noemie Cayabyab revealed that survivors reported rough waters.

"Based on the account of some survivors, the waters in the area were rough at the time," she said in a televised interview. Whether weather or vessel failure is to blame remains under intense scrutiny.

Heartbreak on the Shore as Bodies and Survivors Arrive

Shocking scenes unfolded at the Isabela City port, where rescue boats arrived carrying injured survivors and lifeless bodies. Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman was there to witness the grim procession.

Ambulances and emergency workers waited to receive the traumatized survivors, while videos released by disaster officials showed people floating alone, clinging to life vests in open water. On land, survivors were wrapped in blankets, their faces etched with disbelief, grief, and exhaustion.

Emergency responder Ronalyn Perez said local teams were completely overrun. "The challenge really is the number of patients that are coming in. We are short-staffed at the moment," she admitted, as the crisis stretched thin the province's medical capabilities. More than 100 calls flooded the office from desperate relatives, frantically seeking news of missing loved ones.

Probe Launched amid Questions over Safety

Commander Dua confirmed that the ferry had passed inspection before leaving Zamboanga. Investigators are now combing through maintenance logs, passenger manifests, and survivor accounts as part of a formal investigation.

Though no sign of overloading was found, the exact cause remains shrouded in uncertainty, sparking renewed concerns over Philippine maritime safety standards.

The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,100 islands, has a long, deadly history of maritime tragedies. Ferries are a lifeline for millions, but poor enforcement, neglect, and overcrowding have often turned them into floating death traps.

In May 2023, 28 people died when another ferry caught fire. Three of them were children, including another six-month-old baby. In 2022, seven perished aboard a high-speed ferry that also burst into flames.

Social Media Erupts with Grief and Rage

The internet lit up with shock and sorrow as details of the tragedy emerged. "Prayers sent..... so sad," one person wrote. Another added, "Oh wow. They just had their own little mini Titanic. That's sad." A third stated, "This is so hard to read. God bless 🇵🇭 and praying for those who are still in danger. There's an infant who died from this tragedy. Heartbreaking. 💔"

As grief mounts, search efforts continue with fierce urgency. Coast guard teams vowed to keep combing the waters until every last person is found.

As families wait in anguish, the tragedy of the MV Trisha Kerstin 3 is once again raising alarms about ferry travel safety in the Philippines, where a ticket across the sea can too often turn into a journey of no return.