Philippine officials have taken decisive action by grounding the entire fleet of passenger ships belonging to Aleson Shipping Lines, the company that owned a ferry which sank in southern waters, resulting in at least 18 fatalities and the rescue of over 300 individuals.
Search Continues for Missing Crew and Passengers
The M/V Trisha Kerstin 3, a steel-hulled cargo and passenger ferry with three decks, sank early Monday off Baluk-baluk island village in Basilan province. The vessel was en route to Jolo island from the southern port city of Zamboanga, carrying 317 passengers and 27 crew members at the time of the incident.
Coast guard Admiral Ronnie Gavan confirmed that ten people, primarily crew members and the captain, remain missing. A coordinated search operation led by the coast guard and navy is ongoing in waters where an oil sheen has been observed.
Advanced Technology Deployed in Recovery Efforts
As part of the search, coast guard divers and a remotely operated unmanned vehicle will be deployed to locate and inspect the wreckage, which is estimated to be approximately 76 metres (249 feet) below the sea surface.
Transport Secretary Giovanni Lopez provided updated figures, noting that while the coast guard initially reported 332 passengers on board, 15 individuals decided not to board at the last minute. To date, at least 316 people have been rescued, and 18 bodies, including that of an infant, have been recovered.
Indefinite Grounding for Safety Inspections
Lopez announced the indefinite grounding of all passenger ships operated by Aleson Shipping Lines to allow thorough inspections determining their seaworthiness. He emphasised that other companies would be permitted to deploy their ferries, and the coast guard may offer free rides to mitigate major transport disruptions in a region heavily reliant on ferry travel.
"We'll make sure that this will never happen again," Lopez stated during a news conference, revealing that Aleson's ferries have been involved in 32 safety-related incidents since 2019. The exact number of passenger ships affected by the grounding order remains unclear, and the company has not yet commented on the government's directive.
Survivor Recounts Harrowing Ordeal
Mohamad Khan, a rescued passenger who lost his six-month-old baby, described the terrifying moment when the ferry suddenly listed to one side, hurling him, his wife, and others into the dark sea. Khan and his wife were rescued, but their infant tragically drowned.
Historical Context of Philippine Maritime Disasters
The Philippine archipelago has a troubling history of sea accidents, often attributed to factors such as storms, poorly maintained vessels, overcrowding, and inconsistent enforcement of safety regulations, particularly in remote provinces.
One of the most devastating incidents occurred in December 1987, when the ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker in the central Philippines, resulting in more than 4,300 deaths—the world's deadliest peacetime maritime disaster.
