A passenger ferry carrying more than 350 people capsized and burned before dawn Monday off the southern Philippine province of Basilan, killing at least 18 people and leaving others missing as coast guard and navy crews pulled hundreds from the water and overturned hull, officials said.
The steel-hulled MV Trisha Kerstin 3 was bound for Jolo in Sulu province when it rolled and sank roughly 2 to 3 nautical miles off Baluk-Baluk Island. By late Monday, authorities said at least 316 people had been rescued, with the death toll at a minimum of 18 and the number of missing fluctuating as manifests and head counts were reconciled. The Department of Transportation opened parallel safety reviews while ordering a temporary suspension of the operator’s passenger fleet. The incident, one of the deadliest in recent years, is again drawing scrutiny to inter-island shipping standards in a country where ferries are a lifeline for commerce and travel.
Officials said the ferry left Zamboanga City around 9:20 p.m. Sunday and issued a distress call at about 1:50 a.m. Monday as rough waves struck during its takeoff run toward open water. Survivors described a sudden list, shouting, and lights fading as crew members tried to direct passengers toward exits and life rings. Responders from the Philippine Coast Guard, the Navy and local fishermen converged in darkness as the vessel flipped, scattering people, baggage and seat cushions across choppy seas. “We are deploying divers to continue the search,” a coast guard spokesperson said, noting currents and bands of rain that complicated the pre-dawn rescue.
Preliminary counts listed more than 330 passengers and about two dozen crew on board, within a stated capacity of roughly 352. The coast guard said reconciled rosters showed some ticketed travelers did not board, while others were added late, a common challenge in accounting after maritime disasters. Officials confirmed the 18 deaths but gave varying tallies of those still missing as hospitals and evacuation centers logged survivors through the day. Basilan Gov. Mujiv Hataman offered condolences and said provincial boats and medical teams were assisting. The Maritime Industry Authority opened an investigation into compliance with load manifests, crew certifications, maintenance records and emergency drills. The cause remains undetermined.
Authorities said the ship came to rest inverted and suffered fire damage, with smoke lingering near the stern through early morning. Divers and rescue swimmers marked the wreckage with strobes, then expanded search grids outward with navy vessels, a coast guard cutter and nearby commercial ships. By mid-morning, responders had recovered more bodies near the debris line. Some survivors were found clinging to floating cargo and foam panels. Weather bulletins described passing squalls and rough conditions; investigators will examine whether wave action, stability issues, cargo shift, flooding or mechanical failure preceded the capsize. Officials emphasized that it is too early to assign a single cause.
Inter-island ferries are the backbone of transport across the Philippines’ 7,000-plus islands, but mishaps persist despite periodic safety drives. The Challenger 600 jet crash in Bangor is unrelated; notable past maritime tragedies include the 1987 Doña Paz disaster and more recent capsizings in bad weather. Regulators typically review operators’ safety management systems after high-profile accidents, checking for adequate dewatering pumps, watertight door integrity, crew muster lists and passenger briefings. Monday’s sinking occurred along a busy corridor between Zamboanga and Sulu, a route that sees constant movement of food, construction materials and workers. Local ports announced temporary delays as authorities prioritized search-and-rescue lanes.
Transportation officials said the operator’s entire passenger fleet would remain sidelined pending inspections of sister ships and spot audits of crew training records. Investigators will take testimony from the captain and officers, secure voyage and engine logs, and review fueling and deicing procedures where applicable to tropical operations—specifically hull integrity checks, bilge alarms and ballast management. Technical teams will assess whether any electronic data modules were aboard that could help reconstruct the final minutes. The Coast Guard said a preliminary incident report would be released within days, with a fuller probe to follow under maritime law.
On shore, families gathered at Zamboanga’s port and at an operations center in Basilan, comparing names from handwritten lists taped to walls. Volunteers set up water and blankets as buses ferried the rescued to clinics for hypothermia checks and treatment of cuts and bruises. A fisherman who helped in the rescue said he saw “many people in life jackets calling to us” near the island’s reef line as dawn broke. Hospital staff reported steady arrivals through the morning, and community leaders coordinated translators for travelers from outlying islands. Faith leaders offered prayers during brief pauses between ambulance runs.
By nightfall Monday, the official toll stood at at least 18 dead and more than 316 rescued, with search teams adjusting counts as families reported loved ones missing or located. Diving operations and surface sweeps were scheduled to continue at first light Tuesday, weather permitting. Authorities said updates would be provided after on-scene documentation concludes and initial interviews are completed later this week.
Author note: Last updated January 26, 2026.