‘Miracle’ saves family of 3 in Basilan ferry sinking
MOLAVE, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR — “A miracle.”
This was how Mebelle Cardoza described her family’s brush with death when a passenger ferry bound for Jolo, Sulu, sank in the waters off Basilan province early Monday.
Cardoza, her partner and their four-year-old son were among the more than 300 survivors of the incident, where authorities had so far confirmed 29 deaths as of Thursday.
She recalled being roused from sleep by her partner at around 1 a.m. when the ferry, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, listed in the waters near Hadji Muhtamad town, Basilan.
Cardoza, who is in her early 30s, said she immediately grabbed their son Theo, and the three of them rushed out of the passenger deck, ready to abandon ship.
Her partner was able to grab life vests for the three of them as the ship began sinking. They managed to jump overboard just in time before the boat went underwater.
In an interview on Thursday, Cardoza recalled the terror of seeing how her partner and the toddler he was holding got swallowed by the waves.
Only the father reemerged moments later.
“When I got near (my partner), I asked where Theo was . He said he lost hold of his hand as they jumped,” she said.
Adrift and panicking in the dark, the couple looked around for Theo; they had a mobile phone still working and used it as a flashlight.
Minutes later they heard someone shouting “Mama! Papa!”
”So we followed the voice and eventually located him,” Cardoza said. ”I never expected to see my partner again after he got sucked by the water. I almost lost hope of seeing our son alive.”
“It was a miracle, indeed,” she said.
The three of them were afloat for about an hour before rescuers arrived.
List of missing posted
On Thursday, Hadji Muhtamad Mayor Arsina Kahing-Nanoh said rescuers had recovered 11 more bodies in the vicinity of Baluk-Baluk Island, bringing the number of confirmed fatalities to 29.
Basilan Gov. Mujiv Hataman said the bodies had been turned over to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for identification.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) of Sulu also posted online a list of missing passengers, basing it on information provided by family members.
The PDRRMO called on the public to contact the office if they have missing relatives not yet on the list, which as of press time named 49 individuals.
Of the 49, 31 also appeared in the passenger manifest provided by Aleson Shipping Lines, the ferry operator.
“If possible, please bring a photo or ID of your suspected missing passenger,” the PDRRMO said in an advisory.
Among those on the list of missing passengers was Alberto Romoros, presiding judge of the Shari’ah Circuit Court in Jolo.
Alternative ships
The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) on Thursday started deploying alternative ship to cover the routes previously serviced by Aleson, whose entire fleet had been grounded as authorities begen investigating the sinking.
The Department of Transportation ordered Marina to ensure that only vessels compliant with strict safety regulations are allowed to fill the gap.
The PCG also began to provide free rides on one of its vessels, the BRP Capones, for passengers traveling between Zamboanga City and Lamitan City, Basilan.
The PCG said priority would be given to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and children.
