Captain, 8 crew still missing after ferry sinking; 14 passengers canceled tickets

The captain and 8 crew members of the ill-fated  MV Trisha Kerstin 3 are still missing after the passenger ferry sank just five kilometers east of Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan early Monday.

Commodore Rejard Marfe, commander of the Coast Guard District of Southwestern Mindanao, said a total of 344 people were onboard the ferry before it sank, including 317 passengers. Fourteen passengers canceled their tickets while one passenger failed to board the ferry Sunday night.  

Of the 344, 316 people have been rescued, 18 have died while 10 others remain missing.

“Kapitan ng barko, kasama siya sa mga missing. Sa crew, 8 ang missing…Tuloy-tuloy ang search and rescue, nandun ‘yung 2 malalaking barko natin, BRP Capones at BRP Tubataha,” he said in a DZMM interview. 

Marfe said the weather was relatively calm when the MV Trisha Kerstin 3 left Zamboanga at 9 p.m. Sunday, January 25, for an 8-hour voyage to Jolo Island.

Sea marshals on the vessel said a distress signal was sent out at 1:15 a.m. on January 26.

“Based sa aming inspection, hindi naman siya nakitaan na overload o excess passenger. Hindi namin pwedeng i-speculate ‘yung mga posibleng dahilan ng kanyang paglubog. ‘Yung ating priority ngayon is SAR,” he said.

Meanwhile, Department of Social Welfare and Development Spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the government has provided food boxes to some of the survivors.

“Halal-certified ang mga family food boxes,” she said in a separate DZMM interview.

A total of 134 survivors will receive medical assistance worth P5,000. “For 2 bereaved families, nakapag-provide tayo ng P10,000 each as burial assistance,” Dumlao said.