At Least 18 Dead After Ferry Carrying Over 330 Passengers Sinks

At least 18 people are dead and dozens more were left unaccounted for after a packed passenger ferry sank in rough seas off the southern Philippines in the early hours of Monday, Jan. 26.

The vessel, identified as the MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was traveling from Zamboanga City to Jolo Island when it went down around 1:50 a.m. local time, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.

Officials said the ferry was carrying 332 passengers and 27 crew members when it submerged roughly 2.75 nautical miles northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan, about 800 miles south of Manila.

Initial reports listed 15 fatalities, but the death toll has since climbed to at least 18, with 24 people still missing as of Monday afternoon. Authorities said 317 people have been rescued so far, many pulled from the water and brought ashore wrapped in blankets as emergency teams rushed to help.

The Coast Guard confirmed the ship had departed Zamboanga City around 9:20 p.m. Sunday night and was operating within its authorized passenger capacity. A distress call was received from a Coast Guard sea marshal onboard shortly before the sinking, prompting an immediate rescue response.

Multiple agencies are now involved in the search, including commercial vessels, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and local government units. The ferry, which also transports cargo, remains under investigation as rescue crews continue both sea and aerial search operations.

Photos and video from the scene show exhausted survivors being assisted off rescue boats, while others were carried on stretchers at the port. In a Facebook post, Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman offered condolences to the victims’ families and vowed to continue the search for those still missing.

“We will not stop until everyone is accounted for,” Hataman wrote.

A Coast Guard spokesperson told local media that survivors described violent sea conditions at the time of the incident, with large waves battering the vessel. Authorities said a full maritime casualty investigation is underway to determine exactly what caused the ferry to sink.

Rescue efforts remain ongoing as families anxiously await news of their loved ones.