- The coast guard rescues 316, 28 are still missing.
- The investigation into the cause of the sinking of the ferry begins.
- Military deployed to assist rescue operations.
The death toll from a ferry accident in the southern Philippines has reached at least 15, with 316 people rescued, the Philippine Coast Guard said Monday, as the search continued for the dozens still missing.
The accident happened at 01:50 [1750 GMT] on Monday while the passenger ship, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was en route to Jolo in Sulu province after departing from Zamboanga. The PCG said the vessel, operating within its authorized passenger capacity of 352, had 332 passengers on board and 27 crew.
Search and rescue teams scouring the area in relatively calm waters have helped speed up operations, Coast Guard Commander Romel Dua of the Southern Mindanao District said by phone. He said 28 are still missing.
Dua said an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident. Military aircraft and vessels have been deployed to aid rescue efforts, Dua added.
Mujiv Hataman, governor of the island province of Basilan, shared clips from the scene at Mindanao’s Isabela port on Facebook showing survivors being taken off the boats, with some wrapped in thermal blankets and others carried on stretchers.
Hataman told DZBB radio that most survivors were fine, but several elderly passengers needed urgent medical attention. He added that authorities were still cross-checking the passenger manifest as rescue efforts continued.
Dozens of people die each year as a result of ferry accidents in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands with a flat record for safety at sea.
