At least 15 dead after ferry with 350 passengers sinks off Philippines
At least 15 bodies have been recovered and 28 people were still missing after an inter-island ferry carrying at least 350 passengers sank early Monday in waters off Basilan province in the southern Philippines, authorities said.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) commander Romel Dua said that at least 316 passengers had been rescued following the incident, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.
According to the PCG, the vessel, M/V Trisha Kerstin 3, was traveling from Zamboanga City to Jolo Island in Sulu province when it went down before 2 a.m. local time on Monday. The ferry sank near Baluk-Baluk Island in the municipality of Hadji Muhtamad, located in the Sulu Sea.
PCG Chief Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan told reporters in Manila that the ship departed the Zamboanga City port at around 9:20 p.m. local time on Sunday.
“The search and rescue operation is ongoing, but what I can say is that the ship was not overloaded. It has a maximum passenger capacity of 350, and the actual number of passengers on board, as declared by the ship’s master, was 332,” Gavan said.
He added that the Coast Guard responded immediately to the incident and that all available rescue assets in the region have been deployed.
“There are casualties, but the details are not yet final,” he said.
Gavan also noted that the cause of the ferry’s sinking remains under investigation.
By Nijat Babayev
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