18 die, over 300 rescued as ferry sinks off Basilan
PAGADIAN CITY—At least 18 people, among them a 6-month-old baby, died while more than 300 others were rescued when a passenger ferry bound for Jolo, Sulu, sank in the waters off Basilan province early Monday, reports from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and local governments said.
Cmdr. Romel Dua, operations officer of the Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao, told reporters that 316 people had been rescued from the sunken MV Trisha Kerstin 3 of the Aleson Shipping Lines that left the Zamboanga City port at 9:20 p.m. on Sunday.
Dua said the ship’s crew managed to send a distress call around 1 a.m. Monday, reporting “serious technical problems” before strong waves battered the ferry, leading to its sinking about 5 kilometers (2.75 nautical miles) northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan.
PCG officials said the vessel was carrying 332 passengers—still within the ship’s 352-passenger authorized capacity—and 27 crew members, refuting reports that the roll-on, roll-off vessel was “overloaded.” At press time, 25 others were still unaccounted for.
As of 7 p.m. Monday, the PCG and other agencies involved in the rescue operations had yet to release the names of the fatalities, who were taken to Isabela City in Basilan and Zamboanga City.
Upon receipt of the distress call from the PCG sea marshal onboard the vessel, the PCG immediately deployed rescue assets, including the 44-meter PCG MRRV 4401 from Zamboanga City.
Some commercial vessels in the area, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other government agencies and local governments also provided support.
Hadji Muhtamad Mayor Arsina Kahing-Nanoh said local responders from Baluk-Baluk Island and the local government immediately conducted rescue operations while coordinating with the PCG and other agencies as soon as they learned about the incident.
Passengers rescued by small private boats and Bantay Dagat personnel were turned over to the PCG.
The Basilan Medical Center confirmed that its staff attended to 24 people who were taken to the hospital for further medical examination and treatment.
Basilan Gov. Mujiv Hataman told The Associated Press (AP) that passengers and two bodies were brought to Isabela, the provincial capital.
“I’m receiving 37 people here in the pier. Unfortunately two are dead,” Hataman said from the Isabela pier earlier Monday.
Probe
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the sinking, with teams gathering statements from survivors and crew members while reviewing vessel records.
In Sulu province, the Coast Guard Station Western Sulu set up an information desk to assist families and concerned parties inquiring about the passengers of MV Trisha Kerstin 3.
“The help desk serves as a centralized point for verified updates, coordination and inquiries related to the incident,” the PCG said in a statement.
The Aleson Shipping Lines Inc., in a statement, said it immediately activated their quick response measures and deployed all available vessels in the area as soon as they learned about the accident.
“We have been working tirelessly in close coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard and all concerned authorities as search and rescue operations continue,” the company said.
President Marcos has ordered the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide immediate assistance to the victims, Palace press officer Claire Castro said on Monday.
“As of now, whatever happened in the ferry accident, the DSWD has already been instructed by the President to provide appropriate assistance to our fellow citizens who were affected and victimized by the said incident,” Castro said in a briefing.
“We were able to speak directly with the Philippine Coast Guard, and they are currently working to determine whether the vessel was carrying more passengers or vehicles than allowed, and whether there were violations of the law, for the protection of our commuters and passengers,” she added.
Saved by instinct
One of the supposed passengers of MV Trisha Kerstin 3, Dr. Rofaida Aming of the Sulu Sanitarium and General Hospital, was thankful that she switched vessels at the last minute at the Zamboanga City port and boarded another vessel to reach Jolo.
“I am still holding my ticket from last night’s trip back here to Jolo,” said Aming, who was listed as the 285th passenger in the boat manifest.
“I never thought this ticket—Bed 30, aircon accommodation, number 285 on the manifest—would have led me toward something so terrible,” Aming posted on Facebook.
She said that she felt something strange the moment she left their house and headed for the ferry.
“Like an invisible string pulling me back. For the first time ever, I found myself continuously updating my younger sister—telling her I was entering the port gate, that I was inside the ship, that I hated my accommodation,” Aming said.
Keeping an eye on another boat traveling the same route, the doctor eventually decided to transfer, asking her sister to help secure tickets for her.
Aming received a call from another sister around 4 a.m. on Monday, or hours after the sinking of MV Trisha Kerstin 3.
Trembling and crying, her sister told her how grateful she was to hear her voice, Aming said.
They learned from a report posted on Facebook that the ferry sank and saw her name in the manifest.
“They couldn’t believe I had transferred to another vessel,” Aming said. —WITH REPORTS FROM LUISA CABATO AND AP
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