At least 15 people have been confirmed dead after a passenger ferry carrying more than 350 people capsized off the southern Philippine province of Basilan, officials have said.
The Philippine Coast Guard confirmed that 316 passengers have so far been rescued, while 28 others remained missing following the incident.
The ferry, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was en route to Jolo Island in Sulu province when it capsized shortly after midnight on Monday. The vessel had 332 passengers listed on its manifest and 27 crew members onboard after departing Zamboanga City.
According to the coast guard, the ferry sent a distress signal at 1:50am on Monday (17:50 GMT Sunday), about four hours after leaving port. It later sank in good weather conditions, roughly one nautical mile (about two kilometres) from the island village of Baluk-baluk in Basilan.
Coast Guard Commander Romel Dua of the Southern Mindanao District said rescue operations were ongoing with support from multiple security agencies.
“A coast guard aircraft is also on the way to help the operation. The Navy and Air Force also sent their assets,” Dua told AFP.
He added that 15 fatalities had been confirmed, while search efforts continued for those still missing.
Survivors were initially taken to Baluk-baluk before being transferred for medical care. Emergency responders said hospitals were struggling to cope with the number of patients.
“The challenge here really is the number of patients that are coming in. We are short-staffed at the moment,” said medic Ronalyn Perez.
Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman shared videos from Isabela port on Facebook, showing survivors disembarking from rescue boats. Some were wrapped in thermal blankets, while others were carried on stretchers.
Hataman told DZBB radio that most survivors were stable but noted that elderly passengers required urgent medical attention.
He also said authorities were still verifying the passenger manifest as rescue efforts continued.
Commander Dua said the cause of the sinking was not immediately known and would be investigated.
He added that the ferry had been cleared by the coast guard before departure and that there was no indication of overloading.
Sea accidents are common in the Philippines due to frequent storms, poorly maintained vessels, overcrowding and weak enforcement of maritime safety regulations, particularly in remote areas.
The incident comes days after two Filipino sailors were reported dead and 15 rescued when a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel sank while travelling from Mindanao to China. Four sailors remain missing.
Last week, a private boat also sank off the Davao region, leaving six people dead and nine others missing.
In one of the deadliest maritime disasters in history, the ferry Dona Paz sank in December 1987 after colliding with a fuel tanker in central Philippines, killing more than 4,300 people.
