Metro Manila, Philippines – The death toll in the sunken M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 in waters off Basilan rose to 40 on Sunday, Feb. 1, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported.
Authorities and fisherfolk volunteers retrieved two bodies from Baluk-Baluk Island and another from Lantawan Island. Among the dead was SN1 Alkhaizar Hadjail of the PCG, the agency said.
“Our fallen Coast Guard personnel will always be remembered for his selfless dedication and commitment to public service, exemplifying courage and professionalism in the line of duty,” PCG Spokesperson Noemie Cayabyab said in a statement.
The survivor count remained at 316. The number of missing people is still under investigation, the PCG told NewsWatch Plus in a message.
The tally of fatalities was revised upward from 39 earlier reported on Sunday following a validation and coordination meeting with local disaster officials. The coast guard included the cadaver of a 6-month-old female, who was turned over to the Basilan Provincial Disaster Reduction and Management Office on Jan. 26.
The ferry departed the port of Zamboanga City on the evening of Jan. 25, and was bound for Jolo, Sulu, when it made a distress call on the early morning of Jan. 26. It was carrying 332 passengers and 27 crew members when it reportedly went down at around 2.75 nautical miles northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island.
The PCG and the Maritime Industry Authority are investigating the cause of the incident and possible liabilities of shipowner and operator Aleson Shipping Lines Inc.
