AT LEAST 15 people died while more than 200 others were rescued after a passenger cargo vessel sank off the coast of Basilan early Monday, January 26, 2026.
In a radio interview, Philippine Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao operations officer Commander Romel Dua said at least 219 passengers had been rescued, while 43 others remained unaccounted for as of posting time.
The roll-on roll-off (Roro) vessel, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, operated by Aleson Shipping, left the Port of Zamboanga City around 9:20 p.m. on January 25, bound for Jolo, Sulu.
It was carrying 332 passengers and 27 crew members when it sank at around 1:50 a.m. Monday, approximately 2.75 nautical miles northeast of Baluk-Baluk Island in Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan.
Initial reports indicated that the vessel’s lower deck was flooded amid big waves, causing it to list. An off-duty crew member said he was awakened by a companion who noticed the vessel tilting.
“We tried to pump out the water but it was too late,” the crew member said in an interview with Brigada New FM-Zamboanga.
He added that the vessel listed on its starboard side and eventually sank after the harness securing the vehicles onboard snapped.
Dua said there was no overloading, noting that the vessel’s authorized maximum passenger capacity is 352.
“Malaki po ang capacity nitong Roro, walang overloading. Magbibigay po kami ng update. Ang focus po namin ngayon ay ang rescue operation,” he said.
In a separate statement, Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman said that 223 passengers, including four fatalities in body bags, were brought to the Isabela City port, while the remaining fatalities were transported to Zamboanga City.
Hataman said the provincial government has mobilized its resources to assist survivors and the families of those who died.
He added that, according to several survivors, the sea was calm when the incident occurred.
The Philippine Coast Guard, Western Mindanao Naval Command, and the Police Maritime Group deployed rescue vessels upon receiving reports of the incident. Fishing vessels and motorboats also joined the rescue operations.
The incident marks the second involving a vessel owned by Aleson Shipping. The first occurred on March 29, 2023, when MV Lady Mary Joy 3 caught fire near Baluk-Baluk Island while en route to Jolo from Zamboanga City. (TPM with SunStar Zamboanga/SunStar Philippines)
