Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Philippines Ferry Disaster Death Toll Surpasses Fifty


(MENAFN) An ongoing recovery mission has pushed the fatality count to 52 following a catastrophic maritime disaster in the Philippines, authorities confirmed Wednesday, as search crews pulled another victim from the sunken passenger vessel.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) announced the grim update after technical dive teams continued operations at the underwater wreck site, where the M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 lies submerged off Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan province.

"As of this morning, the PCG recorded 52 fatalities and 316 survivors in connection with the sinking of MV Trisha Kerstin 3," the maritime agency stated via Facebook.

The vessel was transporting passengers to Jolo Island in Sulu province when disaster struck in the early morning hours of January 25. Emergency transmissions were broadcast at approximately 1:50 a.m. local time (1750 GMT)—roughly four hours after the ferry departed from the Port of Zamboanga City on Mindanao's southwestern coast.

Authorities have not disclosed how many passengers remain unaccounted for as technical divers persist in their underwater search operations.

The tragedy underscores persistent maritime safety challenges across the archipelago nation of approximately 7,000 islands, where inadequate vessel regulation and chronic overcrowding have contributed to a deadly history of ferry accidents.

MENAFN11022026000045017169ID1110725548



MENAFN

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Search