A ferry carrying more than 350 people sank early Monday near an island in the southern Philippines, leaving at least 18 dead and dozens missing, officials said. The M/V Trisha Kerstin 3, a cargo and passenger vessel, encountered technical problems and sank after midnight about a nautical mile from the village of Baluk-baluk in Basilan province.
Coastguard commander Romel Dua said the steel-hulled vessel abruptly tilted to one side and took on water, throwing passengers into the sea. Rescuers saved at least 316 passengers and crew members, while coastguard and navy ships, a surveillance plane, an air force Black Hawk helicopter and fishing boats searched for about two dozen people believed missing.
Mohamad Khan, a rescued passenger, told volunteer rescuer Gamar Alih that he lost his six-month-old baby in the chaos. "My wife lost hold of our baby and all of us got separated at sea," Khan said in a video posted on Facebook. He and his wife survived, but the baby drowned.
The ferry was sailing in good weather from Zamboanga city to Jolo island in Sulu province with 332 passengers and 27 crew members. Dua said the coastguard had cleared the ferry before departure and there was no sign of overloading. Local media reported that up to 15 passengers on the manifest decided not to board at the last minute, which could reduce the number of missing.
The cause of the sinking is under investigation. Sea accidents are common in the Philippines due to frequent storms, poorly maintained vessels, overcrowding and weak enforcement of safety regulations. The deadliest peacetime maritime disaster occurred in 1987 when the ferry Doña Paz collided with a fuel tanker, killing more than 4,300 people.
