The death toll in the sinking of M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 has risen to 57 after additional bodies were recovered, the Philippine Coast Guard said.
Three bodies were retrieved Sunday from waters near Baluk-Baluk Island in Basilan during the latest underwater search operations. The recovery increased the number of confirmed fatalities in the maritime accident.
Authorities said 293 passengers and crew members survived the incident, while 22 others remain missing.
The identities of the latest recovered bodies were confirmed through coordination among the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine National Police Scene of the Crime Operatives, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao, and the victims’ families.
Search and retrieval operations are continuing in the area as authorities work to locate the missing and determine the circumstances surrounding the sinking.
Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation has filed a case against three officials of the Maritime Industry Authority in connection with the issuance of safety certificates for the vessel.
The transportation department said it is also studying the cancellation and revocation of the Certificate of Public Convenience of Aleson Shipping Lines, the operator of M/V Trisha Kerstin 3. The company’s operations are currently suspended.
Authorities have not yet released further details on the ongoing investigation into the cause of the sinking. Coordination among national and local agencies continues as search efforts proceed and legal actions move forward.
