A passenger ferry carrying more than 300 people sank off the southern Philippines after midnight, killing at least 15 and prompting a major search and rescue operation near Basilan.
WEBDESK – Act Global Media – January 26, 2026
A passenger ferry carrying more than 300 people sank off the southern Philippine province of Basilan shortly after midnight, killing at least 15 people and triggering a large-scale search and rescue operation, authorities said.
The Philippine Coast Guard said the vessel, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was traveling from Zamboanga City to Jolo in Sulu province when it capsized in waters near Basilan. The ferry was carrying 332 passengers and 27 crew members at the time of the accident.
According to Coast Guard officials, at least 316 people have been rescued, while search operations continue for dozens who were initially reported missing. Rescue teams include the Philippine Coast Guard, the navy and local fishing boats, all operating in favorable weather conditions.
Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman said survivors and victims were brought to Isabela City, the provincial capital, as rescue efforts intensified. “Unfortunately, two are dead,” he said earlier while receiving survivors at the pier.
The cause of the sinking has not yet been confirmed, and authorities have launched an investigation into whether overcrowding or mechanical failure played a role.
Maritime accidents remain a persistent problem in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands, where ferries are a primary mode of transport. Poor vessel maintenance, overcrowding and uneven enforcement of safety regulations have frequently been blamed for deadly incidents, particularly in remote areas.
The country has witnessed some of the world’s deadliest sea disasters, including the 1987 sinking of the ferry Dona Paz, which killed more than 4,300 people after a collision with an oil tanker.
Rescue operations off Basilan were ongoing as officials warned the death toll could still rise.
