- Coast Guard rescues 316 people, 28 remain missing.
- The investigation begins into the cause of the ferry sinking.
- Military personnel deployed to assist in 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 dozens of people still missing.
The accident occurred at 1:50 a.m. [1750 GMT] Monday while the passenger ship, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was en route to Jolo in Sulu province after leaving Zamboanga. The PCG said the ship, operating within its authorized capacity of 352 passengers, had 332 passengers on board and 27 crew members.
Search and rescue teams roaming the area in relatively calm waters helped speed up operations, Coast Guard Commander Romel Dua of the Southern Mindanao district said by telephone. He said 28 people remained missing.
Dua said an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the accident. Military planes and ships were deployed to assist in the rescue efforts, Dua added.
Mujiv Hataman, governor of the island province of Basilan, shared clips of the scene at Mindanao’s Isabela Port on Facebook, showing survivors being taken off the boats, some wrapped in thermal blankets and others carried on stretchers.
Hataman told DZBB radio that most survivors were doing well, but several elderly passengers needed emergency medical care. He added that authorities were still checking the passengers’ manifest as rescue efforts continued.
Dozens of people die each year in ferry accidents in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands with a spotty record on maritime safety.
