At least 18 people have died after a ferry carrying more than 350 passengers and crew sank in waters off the southern coast of the Philippines.
Search and rescue teams have saved 317 people from the MV Trisha Kerstin 3, but at least 24 remain missing, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.
The vessel, which served as both a cargo and passenger ferry, was travelling from the southern island of Mindanao to Jolo Island when it sent a distress call at 1:50 local time on Monday (17:50 GMT on Sunday). Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the sinking.
The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,100 islands, has a long history of maritime disasters involving inter-island ferries.
“Based on accounts from some survivors, the waters in the area were rough at the time,” Philippine Coast Guard spokeswoman Noemie Cayabyab said in a televised interview.
Video shared by the disaster management office in Bongao Municipality shows people wearing life jackets floating in the sea as they await rescue. Another video posted on Facebook by Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman shows survivors wrapped in blankets as they disembark from a rescue boat.
Emergency responders said they have been overwhelmed by the number of survivors requiring assistance. “The challenge really is the number of patients coming in. We are short-staffed at the moment,” said Basilan emergency responder Ronalyn Perez. Another rescuer reported receiving more than 100 calls from worried family members.
Poor vessel maintenance and overloading have been blamed for previous ferry accidents in the Philippines. Despite the risks, many Filipinos continue to rely on ferries due to their low cost.
In May 2023, 28 people died after a passenger ferry caught fire, including three children — one of whom was a six-month-old baby. The year before, at least seven people were killed in a fire on a high-speed ferry carrying 134 passengers.