Lumubog ang MV Trisha Kerstin 3 noong Enero 26 malapit sa Basilan habang bumibiyahe mula Zamboanga patungong Jolo. Sa mahigit 350 sakay, 316 ang nailigtas at 45 ang nasawi, habang pansamantalang sinuspinde ang search operations dahil sa masamang panahon. Patuloy ang imbestigasyon sa sanhi ng insidente kasunod ng mga alegasyon kakulangan sa safety protocol.

A passenger ferry traveling from Zamboanga City to Jolo, Sulu sank in the early hours of January 26 near Pilas Island in Basilan, triggering a large-scale rescue effort and ongoing investigations into the cause of the maritime disaster.

The vessel, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, reportedly sent a distress call at around 1:00 a.m. after encountering serious problems mid-voyage. Not long after, the ship capsized and went down, prompting local authorities, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and civilian volunteers to mobilize search-and-rescue operations.

Casualties and Survivors

According to PCG reports, the ferry carried 332 passengers and 27 crew members when it departed from Zamboanga City. As of early February, 316 passengers had been rescued, while the confirmed death toll reached 45. Several individuals were initially reported missing, although the exact number has varied as recovery efforts continue.

Divers located the wreck approximately 1.8 nautical miles off Baluk-Baluk Island. Authorities said the vessel appeared largely intact, but inspections are ongoing to determine whether structural damage contributed to the sinking.

Search Operations Suspended Due to Weather

Search and retrieval efforts were temporarily suspended on February 6 due to strong undersea currents brought by Tropical Depression Basyang, which made conditions too dangerous for technical divers.

The PCG said operations will resume once weather and sea conditions improve. When divers return, they plan to examine the ship’s cabins to verify whether additional victims remain trapped inside.

During earlier dives, responders recovered two bodies that had been caught on the vessel’s railings.

Survivor Accounts

Several survivors described scenes of panic as the ferry began listing heavily in the middle of the night. Passengers reportedly tried to rebalance the vessel before hearing a loud snapping sound shortly before it capsized.

Some survivors said they were not alerted by crew members and instead relied on fellow passengers to distribute life jackets and assist one another. Groups of survivors floated at sea for hours before rescue boats arrived, with the first vessels reportedly reaching the area around 3:30 a.m.

Allegations of Overloading and Safety Issues

Four survivors later met with lawmakers to raise concerns about the vessel’s condition. Among the allegations were claims that the ferry appeared overloaded with cargo vehicles beyond its supposed capacity and that some passengers may not have been listed on the official manifest.

They also cited deteriorating onboard facilities and claimed that some life vests were substandard. Another survivor asserted that the vessel had been scheduled for dry dock due to operational defects but was allowed to sail.

These claims have not yet been formally confirmed and remain part of ongoing investigations.

Calls for Inquiry and Legal Action

Survivors and relatives of victims have called for a legislative inquiry and indicated plans to file a class suit for reckless imprudence against the ship’s management and other responsible parties.

A Senate committee has begun looking into the incident, while a resolution has also been filed seeking an investigation into maritime safety standards and regulatory oversight. Lawmakers noted that the shipping company had previously been linked to another fatal maritime incident in 2023.

Vessel Background

MV Trisha Kerstin 3 was owned by Aleson Shipping Lines, Inc. Built in 1995 and formerly known as Camellia II in Japan, the ship was acquired and renamed in 2010. The ferry measured about 47.9 meters in length and 12 meters in breadth.

Ongoing Investigation

Authorities continue to prioritize victim recovery while working to determine the exact cause of the sinking. Weather conditions, vessel integrity, operational procedures, and compliance with safety regulations are expected to form key parts of the investigation.

Further updates are anticipated as search operations resume and official findings become available.

Lumubog sa madaling araw ng Enero 26 ang isang pampasaherong ferry na bumibiyahe mula Zamboanga City patungong Jolo, Sulu malapit sa Pilas Island, Basilan, na nagbunsod ng malawakang search-and-rescue operations at patuloy na imbestigasyon sa sanhi ng trahedya.

Ang barkong MV Trisha Kerstin 3 ay iniulat na nagpadala ng distress call bandang 1:00 a.m. matapos makaranas ng seryosong problema habang nasa biyahe. Hindi nagtagal, tumaob at tuluyang lumubog ang sasakyang-dagat, dahilan upang agad na kumilos ang mga lokal na awtoridad, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), at mga sibilyang nagboluntaryo.

Mga Nasawi at Nakaligtas

Ayon sa PCG, may sakay na 332 pasahero at 27 tripulante ang ferry nang umalis ito sa Zamboanga City. Pagsapit ng unang linggo ng Pebrero, 316 pasahero ang nailigtas, habang umabot sa 45 ang kumpirmadong nasawi. May ilan pang unang iniulat na nawawala, bagaman patuloy na nagbabago ang bilang habang nagpapatuloy ang retrieval operations.

Natagpuan ng mga diver ang lumubog na barko humigit-kumulang 1.8 nautical miles mula sa Baluk-Baluk Island. Ayon sa mga awtoridad, buo ang hitsura ng sasakyang-dagat, ngunit patuloy pa itong sinusuri upang malaman kung may pinsalang nagdulot ng paglubog.

Pansamantalang Itinigil ang Search Operations Dahil sa Masamang Panahon

Pansamantalang sinuspinde ang search at retrieval operations noong Pebrero 6 dahil sa malalakas na agos sa ilalim ng dagat na dulot ng Tropical Depression Basyang, na nagdulot ng panganib sa mga technical diver.

Ayon sa PCG, ipagpapatuloy ang operasyon kapag bumuti na ang lagay ng panahon at karagatan. Plano ng mga diver na unahing suriin ang loob ng mga cabin upang matukoy kung may iba pang biktimang na-trap sa loob.

Sa mga naunang pagsisid, dalawang bangkay ang narekober na naiipit sa railings ng barko.

Mga Salaysay ng mga Survivor

Inilarawan ng ilang nakaligtas ang matinding takot at kaguluhan nang magsimulang tumagilid ang ferry sa kalagitnaan ng gabi. Sinubukan umano ng mga pasahero na balansehin ang barko bago makarinig ng malakas na kalabog, na sinundan ng mabilis na pagtaob nito.

May mga survivor na nagsabing walang agarang babala mula sa tripulante, kaya’t kapwa pasahero ang nagtulungan sa pamamahagi ng life vest at pag-alalay sa isa’t isa. Ilang oras ding lumutang sa dagat ang mga nakaligtas bago dumating ang mga sasakyang pang-rescue, na iniulat na unang nakarating bandang 3:30 a.m.

Mga Paratang ukol sa Overloading at Kaligtasan

Apat na survivor ang lumapit sa mga mambabatas upang ilahad ang umano’y kalagayan ng barko. Kabilang sa kanilang mga pahayag ang alegasyong tila overloaded ang ferry sa dami ng cargo vehicles at posibleng may mga pasaherong hindi nakalista sa opisyal na manifest.

Binanggit din ang umano’y sirang pasilidad at substandard na life vest. May isa ring survivor na nagsabing nakatakda sanang isailalim sa dry dock ang barko dahil sa operational defects ngunit pinayagan pa ring bumiyahe.

Hindi pa pormal na nakukumpirma ang mga pahayag na ito at bahagi pa ng nagpapatuloy na imbestigasyon.

Panawagan para sa Imbestigasyon at Posibleng Kaso

Nanawagan ang mga survivor at pamilya ng mga biktima ng isang legislative inquiry at nagpahayag ng planong magsampa ng class suit para sa reckless imprudence laban sa pamunuan ng barko at iba pang maaaring managot.

Sinimulan na ng isang Senate committee ang pagrepaso sa insidente, habang may inihain ding resolusyon upang imbestigahan ang maritime safety standards at regulatory oversight. Nabanggít ng ilang mambabatas na naiuugnay na rin ang shipping company sa isa pang nakamamatay na maritime incident noong 2023.

Background ng Barko

Ang MV Trisha Kerstin 3 ay pagmamay-ari ng Aleson Shipping Lines, Inc. Itinayo noong 1995 at dating kilala bilang Camellia II sa Japan, binili ito at pinalitan ng pangalan noong 2010. May habang 47.9 metro at lapad na 12 metro ang ferry.

Patuloy na Imbestigasyon

Patuloy na inuuna ng mga awtoridad ang retrieval operations habang sinisikap tukuyin ang eksaktong sanhi ng paglubog. Kabilang sa mga inaasahang tututukan sa imbestigasyon ang lagay ng panahon, integridad ng barko, operational procedures, at pagsunod sa safety regulations.

Inaasahan ang karagdagang updates sa pagpapatuloy ng search operations at paglabas ng mga opisyal na resulta ng imbestigasyon.

Mga Sanggunian

• GMA Integrated News — “M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 search ops temporarily suspended due to bad weather” (Feb. 6, 2026)
  https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/975660/m-v-trisha-kerstin-3-search-ops-temporarily-suspended-due-to-bad-weather/story/

• The Manila Times — “Survivors from sunken boat vow to file class suit” (Feb. 3, 2026)
  https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/02/03/regions/survivors-from-sunken-boat-vow-to-file-class-suit/2269916

• ABS-CBN News / Agence France-Presse — “Philippine ferry survivor describes scenes of panic, wait for rescue” (Jan. 27, 2026)
  https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/1/27/philippine-ferry-survivor-describes-scenes-of-panic-wait-for-rescue-0016

• Pilipino Star Ngayon — “Mga itinatagong baho ng lumubog na M/V Trisha, na-expose!” (Feb. 6, 2026)
  https://www.philstar.com/pilipino-star-ngayon/bansa/2026/02/06/2506026/mga-itinatagong-baho-ng-lumubog-na-mv-trisha-na-expose-sen-raffy

• GMA News (Follow-up reports and casualty updates)
  https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/